On 8 June 2026, Anera and the Swedish Dialogue Institute for the Middle East and North Africa (SDI) convened an event in Amman, Jordan, bringing together representatives from European institutions, government representatives, international organisations, civil society organisations, academia, and the private sector to discuss the implementation of the European Union’s Pact for the Mediterranean in the Levant. Thematically, the focus was on employability, livelihoods, and investment in education and skills, including vocational training and skills development aligned with labor market needs. Geographically, the focus was on Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria, with a couple of participants coming from Türkiye and Qatar.
The discussions came upon a rapidly evolving regional landscape, marked by
protracted conflicts, economic uncertainty, displacement, and growing pressures
on labour markets. Across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Palestine, unemployment,
limited access to decent work, and widening inequalities continue to undermine
prospects for economic inclusion, particularly among young people and women.
The launch of the Pact for the Mediterranean has created an opportunity to
rethink partnerships and discuss how a regional policy framework can effectively
meet local realities and needs.
The event created a space for dialogue between policymakers and practitioners
on how the EU Pact for the Mediterranean’s priorities related to livelihoods,
employability, vocational training, entrepreneurship and economic inclusion can
be translated into sustainable and context-sensitive action on the ground.
Participants reflected on implementation challenges, identified opportunities for
stronger collaboration, new ways to respond to greater needs in the region, and
shared lessons from existing successful initiatives. Discussions explored how
local knowledge, community ownership, private sector engagement and regional
cooperation can contribute to the successful implementation of the Pact.
This report captures the main themes, insights and recommendations that
emerged from the discussions. While experiences differed across countries and
sectors, four interconnected themes emerged throughout the day: the need for
an ecosystem approach to livelihoods, stronger co-creation and
partnerships, deeper inclusion and localization, and greater flexibility in
fragile contexts.
