What is the project about?

The Green Growth and Jobs Accelerator Project (GGJAP) is funded by the Danish-Arab Partnership Programme (DAPP) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and implemented by UNDP.

The project supports established entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan to accelerate their green growth and create decent jobs for women and youth. 

In Egypt, GGJAP strengthens SMEs’ capacity to adopt sustainable business models, scale green solutions, and access finance, empowering youth as co-creators, advisors and contributors to green growth.

Situational Background

Youth unemployment remains one of the most critical development challenges in the MENA region. By 2020, it has risen to 26%, with North Africa reaching 31.5%.

At the same time, SMEs are engines of economic growth and innovation, yet many lack the technical capabilities, digital readiness, and access to capital required to transition toward sustainable and green business models.

In Egypt, the shift toward a green economy presents a major opportunity to generate jobs for youth and drive climate resilience. However, this requires targeted support for SMEs to modernize their operations, adopt sustainable practices, and innovate in green sectors. GGJAP was created to respond to this need by enabling SMEs to scale climate-smart solutions while strengthening youth employment pathways.

How are we doing this?

GGJAP combines capacity development, business acceleration, and youth engagement to catalyze green growth:

• Implementing a 5-month structured accelerator programme for selected SMEs, providing tailored business development support, expert mentoring, and tools to design and executegreen growth strategies.

• Providing technical assistance for SMEs to introduce sustainable products and services, improve resource efficiency, and meet market standards for green innovation.

• Delivering digital learning resources on sustainable innovation, impact measurement, and e-commerce to expand access to knowledge for entrepreneurs and youth beyond the accelerator programme. 

• Engaging youth through skills development, internships, on-the-job training, and co-creation opportunities with participating SMEs, enabling them to enter green and digital sectors.

This integrated approach simultaneously strengthens SMEs and equips youth with the competencies needed to thrive in a sustainable, future-oriented economy.

How will Egypt benefit?:

The project aims to achieve the following outputs:

1. Enhanced capacity of SMEs to adopt green and sustainable business models, improve resource efficiency, reduce environmental impacts, and access new market opportunities.

2. Increased employment opportunities for youth, particularly in a green and digital sectors, supported through skills development, training, internships, and practical engagement with SMEs.

3. A strengthened ecosystem for green entrepreneurship, driven by knowledge-sharing, digital learning platforms, and partnerships that promote green innovation and long-term economic resilience.