MEPI SMALL BUSINESS INITIATIVE FOR WOMEN PROJECT

C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 001244 SIPDIS NEA/MAG (NARDI/HAYES) AND NEA/PI LONDON AND PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/23/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KPAO TS SUBJECT: MEPI SMALL BUSINESS INITIATIVE FOR WOMEN PROJECT REF: STATE 115408 Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) The goals of the MEPI Small Business Initiative for Women are in line with Embassy and GOT economic development goals. In the face of chronic unemployment, particularly among university graduates, promoting the growth of entrepreneurship and building a supportive infrastructure for small and medium-sized businesses is a high priority for the GOT. Thus, GOT officials have requested assistance along the lines of reftel proposal. To this end, Post is working with the Small Business Administration to develop a project proposal using Economic Support Funds to support entrepreneurship among Tunisian youth (both male and female), and the development of small and medium-sized businesses in Tunisia. We believe the two initiatives would complement each other well. Should Tunisia become one of the MEPI Small Business Initative for Women participants, we would seek to maximize the synergy between these two projects. ¶2. (C) While we would welcome the MEPI Small Business Initiative for Women in Tunisia, however, MEPI/Washington should be aware of the challenges associated with implementing MEPI programs here. Over the past couple of years, the local environment has become less permissive for MEPI-branded programs; thus, we would not recommend overt branding. In addition, media access is limited, affecting recruitment and advertising. Also, even when the GOT has initially responded favorably to MEPI programs, there have been some instances in which it has failed to follow through or has subsequently withdrawn support, effectively scuttling programs. Finally, creating and registering new associations or NGOs in Tunisia is extremely difficult, so programs need to be crafted in such a way as to work with existing Tunisian organizations, US or third-country organizations, or Tunisian individuals. ¶3. (C) We attribute much of the resistance to MEPI to GOT mistrust of the USG's political reform agenda. The GOT has historically been more receptive to MEPI programs in the economic pillar. Thus, notwithstanding the trend of increasing difficulties faced by MEPI, we are hopeful that the GOT will support this endeavor. Godec