Project context

Implemented by UNIDO, the EU-funded project “Development of Clusters in Cultural and Creative Industries in the Southern Mediterranean” is undertaken within the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) framework and is consistent with the socially-inclusive growth objectives of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), which recently gave the project its label. The project also benefits from a financial contribution from the Italian Development Cooperation.

Seeking to embed the concept of clusters within the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI), this project is in itself unique. It could represent a tremendous opportunity for inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) and job creation in the countries of the Southern Mediterranean. Meanwhile, by nurturing creativity and fostering innovation that are rooted in each country’s respective cultural heritage, the region’s diversity could be strengthened and its economic performance could be enhanced.

Strategy

After an initial mapping of clusters and value chains in cultural and creative industries in the Southern Mediterranean, a call for proposals was launched to allow interested groups of companies to apply for UNIDO’s assistance. Clusters and cluster initiatives in CCI were invited to submit their proposal. In addition to the technical support in entrepreneurial cooperation and in product development, great emphasis was put on networking and international collaboration as well as on market access activities.

In each target country, a national steering committee comprising of public and private actors shortlisted a selected number of clusters. Since the project's inception in February 2014, a team of UNIDO experts has interviewed over 500 persons throughout the seven participating countries — Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia — and identified over 140 clusters and 70 other economic realities in cultural and creative industries.

For more information, please visit the project website 

Outcomes

• - Mapping of existing clusters and value chains in the cultural and creative industries in the project’s target countries of the Southern Mediterranean;
• - Technical support delivered to at least one promising cluster initiative per target country;
• - Cluster-related business advisory services and CCI technical assistance provided to the selected clusters;
• - Required new equipment purchased for selected clusters;
• - Plans for national governments to replicate the project’s activities, creating linkages with financial institutions and other development partners devised;
• - CCI centres established to serve as knowledge repositories to increase national and regional expertise related to CCIs and cluster development;

Download project factsheet at the right column

For more information on the project, please contact: cci-clusters@unido.org