Two initiatives approved under the European programme Interreg Mac, namely ‘Africantech’ and ‘Mac Skilling’, and spearheaded by Casa Africa and the Technological Institute of the Canary Islands respectively, aim to enhance the skills of African SMEs in terms of innovation and digital transformation whilst also providing training to workers in the competencies sought by the job market.
The Africantech initiative is focused on bolstering the competitiveness of SMEs in both the Canary Islands and Africa through innovation and digitalisation, with participants from Mauritania, Senegal, Ghana, and Ivory Coast.
Mac Skilling
Both initiatives, launched as part of the Interreg Mac 2021-2027 programme, are set to stimulate sustainable growth for businesses and job creation across Africa, serving as a support mechanism to alleviate migration via the perilous Atlantic route. Last year recorded 46,843 individuals arriving on the islands in pateras and Cayucos, a record number, whilst an additional 10,000 tragically remained lost on the journey, according to data from the NGO Walking Borders.
This Monday at Casa Africa
Casa Africa, as the leading entity in the projects, is set to officially launch Africantech this Monday. The primary objective is to enhance the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises within both the Canary Islands and Africa by bolstering their capabilities in innovation and digitalisation.
The goal is to forge connections between the European outermost regions and neighbouring West African countries, including Mauritania, Senegal, Ghana, and Ivory Coast. The consortium forming Africantech includes the Employers’ Associations for Metal and New Technologies from Las Palmas (Femepa) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Femete), the Cabildo de Tenerife, along with the Chambers of Commerce from Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Gran Canaria, in collaboration with counterparts from Mauritania and Dakar, as well as organisations focused on technological innovation in Ghana and Ivory Coast.
Initiatives will encompass technological maturity assessments of African SMEs, digital transformation training programmes, professional exchanges with the Canary Islands, and the establishment of strategic alliances. The agenda addresses a diverse range of subjects, such as digital marketing, electronic commerce, and vocational training in essential fields like telecommunications, robotics, and enabling technologies of Industry 4.0. Among the pilot actions, Femete will formulate a digital strategy for two companies in Ghana, while Femepa will assist two firms in Senegal.
10,000 euros for businesses
Furthermore, the Cabildo de Tenerife will select ten Canary companies to participate in a pilot scheme where they will receive a voucher valued at 10,000 euros. This support is designed to foster the adoption of digital and innovative solutions by African enterprises. Africantech boasts an overall budget of 1.6 million euros, with 85% funded by the European Union.
Mac Skilling
While Mac Skilling began its activities today at Casa Africa in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, it has already commenced with an event in Tenerife on Thursday and Friday, where all partners participated – a consortium that comprises 18 organisations from the Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, Cabo Verde, Gambia, Mauritania, and Ivory Coast.
This initiative aims to enhance and align professional competencies to meet both current and forthcoming demands in the job market within the Macaronesian region and its neighbouring African territories, targeting strategic sectors vital for the socioeconomic development of these areas. The project responds to the gap between educational offerings and the profiles required in six professional domains: tourism, agribusiness, blue economy, construction, audiovisual, and ICT.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry from the Azores, Ponta Delgada, and Madeira’s Commercial and Industrial Association of Funchal, the IP-RAM Qualification Institute, and Startup Madeira are among the partners from the Portuguese islands. On the African side, participants include Jokkolabs Banjul in Gambia; the University of Nouakchott and the Chamber of Commerce of Mauritania; the Ministry of Technical Education and Félix Houphouët-Boigny University in Ivory Coast, along with the Chamber of Commerce of Barlavento and the School of Hospitality and Tourism of Cabo Verde.
Talent platform
A key feature of this project is the establishment of the Talent Platform, a digital resource that will aggregate training opportunities, job vacancies, and support programmes for public bodies in strategic professional sectors. This initiative has an allocation of 1.7 million euros.
