Switchmed, BDC host panel session on improving Jordan’s green projects

The session was held as part of the EU Switchmed Green Entrepreneurship Programme implemented by the BDC in Jordan, according to a BDC statement.

The different seminars led to the establishment of a network of entities supporting green entrepreneurship in Jordan, as well as the development of a tailored tool to finance green and environmentally friendly projects. 

To that end, the event constitutes a major breakthrough in fostering cooperation among financing entities, investment funds, green projects and non-profit organisations to support the development of green entrepreneurial projects, the statement said.

During the interactive seminars, Jordanian youth were also introduced to the booming green sector and encouraged to start entrepreneurial projects that will contribute to preserving the environment. 

This not only generates sources of income for them, their families and their communities, but also “decreases employment rates on a micro and macro level”.

BDC General Manager Ghaleb Hijazi stated that the BDC’s Green Entrepreneurship Programme will provide a real incentive for Jordanian youth to start projects related to agriculture, environment preservation, energy, water and waste management, reflecting on His Majesty King Abdullah’s vision for youth in the Kingdom.

Over the course of two years, the green entrepreneurship programme will train 120 entrepreneurs in green entrepreneurship, out of which 16 entrepreneurial ideas will be adopted. 

In addition, cooperation and investment services will be provided to maximise benefits and increase the number of entities capable of creating entrepreneurial projects, employing young people and opening new sources of income. 

The Green Entrepreneurship Programme is funded by the European Union and implemented in Jordan by the BDC in collaboration with the Spanish SwitchMed SCP/RAC Initiative. 

The Green Entrepreneurship Programme is implemented in all of the Kingdom’s governorates in an aim to create a supportive environment by building the capacities of local Jordanian institutions and environmental associations to implement green entrepreneurship.