Needs Assessment of the Social Economy in the Southern Mediterranean
This report presents the results of a comprehensive Needs Assessment of the Social Economy in the Southern Mediterranean, conducted within the framework of the Masar al’an Programme of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and coordinated by the IEMed.
The study responds to the growing recognition of the Social Economy (SE) as a transformative actor capable of generating inclusive growth, advancing social cohesion, and promoting sustainable development across the region. In contexts marked by economic volatility, demographic pressures, inequalities, and ecological vulnerabilities, SE organisations and enterprises have demonstrated their capacity to create decent work opportunities, empower women and youth, strengthen community resilience, and offer participatory and solidarity-based alternatives to conventional economic models.
The analysis acknowledges the rich diversity of SE actors operating in the Southern Mediterranean, rooted both in longstanding traditions of mutual aid and in more recent institutional and policy developments shaped by national reforms and international cooperation. At the same time, it identifies key structural challenges that continue to constrain the sector’s potential; among them, fragmented legal frameworks, limited access to finance, insufficient visibility in public policy, and uneven capacities for organisational development. Addressing these challenges is essential to enable SE actors to contribute fully to the social, economic, and ecological transitions that the region urgently requires.
The report is composed of three complementary chapters:
Chapter 1: Findings and Recommendations provides a regional analysis of needs, gaps, and priority areas for strengthening the SE ecosystem, along with actionable policy and programmatic recommendations.
Chapter 2: Hands-on Workshop on Advancing the Social Economy in the Southern Mediterranean captures the exchanges, insights, and collaborative work carried out with regional stakeholders to validate and refine the assessment’s conclusions.
Chapter 3: Donor Programmes Promoting and Developing the Social Economy in Mediterranean Arab Countries offers an overview of current international cooperation initiatives, highlighting opportunities for alignment, coordination, and strategic leverage.
The findings of this report aim to support a more coherent and impactful regional cooperation, inform the implementation of the Masar al’an Programme, and strengthen the visibility and strategic positioning of the SE as a driver of equitable, resilient, and sustainable development in the Southern Mediterranean.
This publication has been produced with the support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).
