BETA TC participates in the Arab SMEs Summit organized by the United Nations ESCWA
The centre brings its experience in circular economy projects in the Mediterranean region based on sustainable use of natural resources, transnational cooperation, and innovation
BETA TC of the UVic-UCC has participated in the Arab SMEs Summit to share its accumulated experience in coordinating initiatives like the Innovative Sustainable Economy Mission, the Med4Waste, and TRANSITION projects. Within the frameworks of the Interreg Euro-MED, Interreg NEXT MED, and PRIMA programmes, BETA TCpartnerships are contributing to the transition towards a circular economy in the Mediterranean. BETA TC is committed to maximize the impact of innovation through knowledge exchange and fostering synergies among key actors from the private, political, scientific, and social dimensions.
The Arab SME’s Summit is an event co-organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (United Nations ESCWA) and the Qatar Development Bank. It is an annual event aimed at accelerating the growth of SMEs in the Arab region and empowering them to expand their reach beyond local markets, focusing on sustainable growth and regional collaborative improvement.
“These types of events are key to step out of our comfort zone, breaking the ice, and connect. Inspiring different ways of doing things, and understanding the common denominator to support each other, work towards a more sustainable system,” says Maria Calderó, specialist in circular economy within the governance for sustainability unit of BETA TC at UVic-UCC.
“Desertification is one of the main challenges in the Mediterranean region. To address this, we test innovative solutions across various climate scenarios. This approach enables the exchange of best practices between the southern and northern Mediterranean—covering areas like biofertilizers, carbon farming, regenerative agriculture, and agroforestry”, Calderó explains, and she adds, “these scientific and technological practices have shown positive results, with several successful examples already in progress, and more are expected in the coming years.”
In conclusion, BETA’s TC participation in the Arab SMEs Summit has allowed to highlight the importance of transnational cooperation between different actors to tackle Mediterranean challenges such as desertification and the transition to a circular economy. Thanks to innovative projects and knowledge exchange, sustainable solutions and new resilient value chains can be created and amplified to empower entrepreneurs, promoting more resilient and inclusive development for the Mediterranean.
