AMMAN - (Xinhua) The work of the Arab Entrepreneurship Summit began on Sunday in the Jordanian capital, under the slogan "Opportunities Crossing Borders".

Arab ministers in the business sector and project development and ambassadors of some participating countries will participate in the first summit of its kind, organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) in cooperation with the Jordanian Corporation for the Development of Economic Projects.

Also, 600 participants and 50 speakers will participate in the business and project development sectors.

The summit aims to bring together various official and private entities in the Arab countries in a meeting to help Arab small and medium enterprises to access regional and international markets, deal with various financing sources, benefit from regional and international networks, and increase their ability to expand, according to a statement issued by the organizers.

Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh, who opened the summit, welcomed the holding of this important summit that brings together decision-makers and entrepreneurs in the Arab world, stressing the government's interest in supporting small and medium enterprises and putting them on the path of growth and prosperity.

In turn, the Jordanian Minister of Industry and Trade, Youssef Al-Shamali, stressed the importance of the summit to discuss the most effective ways to enable small and medium enterprises in the Arab countries to access regional and global markets, and to take advantage of the opportunities provided by international networks and build the institutional capacities of Arab entrepreneurs, to ensure that they are able to obtain Funding and technical support necessary to develop their businesses and enhance their contribution to national economies.

Al-Shamali also stressed the Kingdom's strategic direction for closer economic relations with our Arab surroundings, and taking practical steps with the aim of addressing the challenges facing this type of activities and reaching the desired economic integration with Arab countries.

He said that among the most prominent of these challenges is the difficulty of accessing financing, as the percentage of banking facilities provided to small and medium enterprises is limited to 9 percent of the total banking facilities, in addition to the absence of a legal and regulatory framework for small and medium enterprises.

For her part, Rola Dashti, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCWA, Rola Dashti, said, "In the midst of the challenges facing the region, we meet to be a bridge that brings together the energies searching for financing, training and technology opportunities, and between those who are able to find and grant these opportunities, and between those with ambitions and those who have Wealth to be achieved, and between the latent capabilities and those who have the potential to invest in them.

She added that the summit comes as a bridge between decision and policy makers looking to advance our societies, and the available means to achieve their aspirations.

The three-day summit will address several topics, including internationalization, market access and global value chains, access to finance, green entrepreneurship, emerging technology trends and practical applications.

It includes an exhibition in which about 100 small and medium-sized companies participate.

The summit will continue until next Tuesday evening, and seeks to strengthen partnerships and provide opportunities for small and medium enterprises to expand by encouraging entrepreneurs, providing targeted programs to build the capacities of government agencies, and involving Arab countries in developing improved frameworks for policies related to small and medium enterprises that will promote economic growth. comprehensive and sustainable.