As part of the efforts of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA) to encourage youth, fresh graduates, and women to engage in self-employment and entrepreneurship—particularly in Upper Egypt, border governorates, and Sinai—and to raise awareness of the services and incentives offered by the state to the small enterprise sector through the Agency, thereby helping them establish diverse new projects across various economic activities and capitalize on promising investment opportunities in Sinai,

Bassel Rahmy, CEO of MSMEDA, has directed the Agency’s branches in North and South Sinai governorates to intensify awareness seminars and training programs aimed at introducing youth and fresh graduates to the financial, non-financial, and technical services provided by the Agency.

These efforts also include implementing a wide range of training programs to qualify young people and support them in establishing economically viable projects, alongside expanding access to necessary financing for both new and existing businesses. This comes in conjunction with Egypt’s celebrations of Sinai Liberation Day.

Rahmy noted that these awareness seminars aim to familiarize youth with the various services offered by MSMEDA to help them establish small and micro enterprises or develop their existing businesses.

The seminars also highlight the incentives and benefits introduced under the SME Development Law No. 152 of 2020, in addition to the services available at MSMEDA branches, one-stop-shop services, financing packages, and technical support—particularly feasibility studies.

He added that the Agency organizes programs and training courses such as “Know Your Potential and Define Your Project” and entrepreneurship skills programs accredited by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

These initiatives aim to enable youth to launch more small and micro enterprises across various economic sectors, particularly industrial, productive, handicraft, and heritage-based activities.

In the coming period, the Agency will also focus on providing specialized training in air conditioning and electrical appliance maintenance to meet the growing demand for such services in Sinai’s labor market.

Additionally, specialized training in digital marketing will be offered to support the growth and development of existing enterprises, create more decent and sustainable job opportunities, and advance comprehensive economic development efforts in Sinai in line with the state’s strategic direction.

Rahmy further stated that MSMEDA branches in North and South Sinai will organize these seminars and training programs in coordination with the governorates, a wide range of government entities, civil society organizations, specialized councils, universities, institutes, the Mostaqbal Watan Party, and the Directorate of Youth and Sports. This will be complemented by field visits to industrial zones in North Sinai to identify the needs of enterprises and work on addressing them.

He emphasized that MSMEDA places great importance on the handicrafts and heritage sector in Sinai due to its significant role in generating employment opportunities and preserving Egypt’s authentic cultural heritage.

This focus has been reflected in facilitating the participation of Sinai-based handicraft enterprises in all editions of the “Turathna” Handicrafts and Heritage Exhibition since its launch.

Rahmy also pointed out that there will be a particular focus on empowering girls and women by training them in various creative industries rooted in Sinai’s heritage, in cooperation with active NGOs in the handicrafts sector.

Efforts will also be made to integrate traditional skills with modern technological solutions in marketing to create sustainable employment opportunities for women in Sinai.

The CEO called on citizens and youth to engage with MSMEDA’s branches in Sinai to benefit from the upcoming awareness seminars and training programs or to contact the Agency’s hotline at 16733.

It is worth noting that MSMEDA has provided total funding of EGP 939.4 million in North and South Sinai between 2014 and 2025, financing around 10,000 diverse projects and generating approximately 25,000 job opportunities.

Out of this total, EGP 23 million was allocated as grants for infrastructure, community development, and training projects, creating nearly 300,000 workdays.