Author: anwaar

On May 10, 2025, the second Digital Workshop of the Libyan Digital Lab concluded, focusing on exploring the potential transfer of the innovative “PIX” digital learning and assessment platform to Libya, as well as laying the groundwork for a national Digital Maturity Index for Libyan institutions.

Over the course of two days, the workshop hosted Mr. Patrick AZAN, Digital Project Manager Expert from the French Ministry of Finance, and Mr. Perica SUCEVIC, an expert in digital law, open data, and digital administration. Members of the Libyan Digital Lab also took part in in-depth discussions on adapting the PIX platform to meet the specific needs of Libyan students, teachers, and public sector employees.

Pix is a leading French platform designed to evaluate and develop individuals’ digital skills. It has played a significant role in strengthening digital culture within French educational and administrative institutions.

Through collaboration with the Libyan Digital Lab, Expertise France aims to bring this experience to Libya and help drive a meaningful shift in the country’s digital landscape by providing individuals and institutions with an effective, interactive tool to measure and improve their digital competencies.

The workshop concluded with the presentation of practical recommendations and follow-up plans to continue developing the digital platform and designing the readiness index, with the ultimate goal of enhancing digital skills and increasing the capacity of Libyan institutions to undergo digital transformation.

This workshop is part of the EU4Skills project, funded by the European Union with co-financing from the French government, and implemented by Expertise France in cooperation with Libyan partners. The project aims to support skills development and improve employability by updating educational curricula, empowering youth, and encouraging digital transformation across various sectors.

As part of the EU4Skills project — funded by the European Union, co-funded by the French government, and implemented by Expertise France in collaboration with Libyan partners — we recently concluded a successful study visit to the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF), a leading institution in financial sector training across the MENA region.

This visit marks a key milestone in the implementation of Component 4 of the EU4Skills project, which focuses on strengthening the skills and capacities of Libya’s financial sector. This effort is carried out in close partnership with the Libyan Institute of Banking and Financial Studies (IBFS) and the Central Bank of Libya (CBL).

During the visit, we also had the opportunity to tour Al Salam Bank , where we gained valuable insights into how leading commercial banks in Bahrain collaborate with BIBF to nurture talent and design strategic training programs.

The delegation included Mr. Ahmed Othman, General Manager of IBFS, and Mr. Ayoub Kraima, Head of Component 4 of the EU4Skills program.

 A dialogue session was held on Thursday, April 17, 2025, at the headquarters of the Libyan Industry Union as part of the assessment phase of the EU4SKILLS project. This phase aims to evaluate the needs of stakeholders in preparation for designing project activities aligned with the project’s objectives to enhance graduates’ skills, increase their employability in more diverse sectors, and improve access to finance.

The session, chaired by Mr. Ali Nasir, CEO of the Libyan Industry Union, was held in the honorable presence of several stakeholders and relevant institutions, including Mr. Aref Al-Qajjiji, CEO of the Libyan Businessmen Council, Ms. Dalal Al-Hudhiri, representative of the Libyan Labor Market Authority, and Mr. Mohamed Al-Aswad, Deputy Program Director at Expertise France. Also present were representatives from the Civil Society Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Libyan private sector, and members of the UNIMED team and the Expertise France team in Libya.

The session featured important opening remarks and included fruitful discussions in which participants addressed the practical and technical skills required in the labor market, as well as the most promising sectors for the development of the Libyan economy. Participants also reviewed the challenges employers face in the hiring process, emphasized the importance of relying on local talent, supporting training programs, and explored effective mechanisms to bridge the gap between the outcomes of higher, technical, and vocational education and the changing needs of the labor market.

This session, along with previous dialogue sessions targeting higher education institutions and the financial sector, represents an important step in the preparatory process for implementing the upcoming activities of the EU4SKILLS project. The project is funded by the European Union with co-funding from the French government and implemented by Expertise France in cooperation with a group of Libyan institutions.

On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, a workshop titled “Financial and Banking Sector Skills Analysis in Libya” was held in Tripoli to discuss skill and training gaps in the financial sector, particularly in supporting small and medium enterprises. The workshop also focused on defining the role of the Institute of Banking and Financial Studies in capacity building and developing a shared vision to align education and training with the needs of Libya’s financial market.

The workshop, managed by BDO Jordan, the advisory partner of the EU4Skills project, opened with speeches from key figures, including Ahmed Othman, Director of the Institute of Banking and Financial Studies; Ali Nasser, Head of the Libyan Industry Union; Mohammed Alaswad, Deputy Program Director at Expertise France; and Ayoub Karima, Financial Sector Project Manager at Expertise France.

A comprehensive panel discussion followed, where participants from financial and banking institutions, academia, and the private sector exchanged insights on best practices for financial training development and enhancing partnerships between the academic and banking sectors to ensure the effective qualification of human resources to meet evolving market demands.

It is worth noting that the EU4Skills project is funded by the European Union, with co-financing from the French government, and implemented by Expertise France in collaboration with partners in Libya. The project aims to support employability in the Libyan market, promote digital transformation, improve access to finance, and develop skills in the green and blue economies to ensure sustainable economic development.

On Wednesday, February 19, 2025, the third round of dialogue sessions for the evaluation phase of the EU4SKILLS project was held at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Elmergib in the city of Al Khums. These sessions followed the previous ones held at the University of Tripoli and the University of Benghazi.

The discussions focused on enhancing skills and increasing employment opportunities to support the private sector in Libya, with the participation of representatives from the public and private sectors, as well as experts in economics, education, and employment. The event was honored by the presence of the President of the University of Elmergib, Professor Dr. Mohammed Inweji Ghmeid, and the Deputy Director of Programs at Expertise France, Mr. Mohamed Ahmed Al-Aswad.

The event began with welcoming speeches and an overview of the EU4SKILLS project, highlighting its objectives related to improving the outcomes of higher and technical education and aligning them with labor market demands. This was followed by dividing participants into specialized groups to discuss three key themes: the green and blue economy, employability, and digital skills.

The sessions saw significant engagement from participants, who exchanged insights on possible solutions to bridge skill gaps and enhance the role of educational and training institutions in supporting employment. The discussions concluded with the formulation of recommendations that will be incorporated into the evaluation phase outcomes of the EU4SKILLS project, forming the foundation for future project activities.

It is worth noting that the EU4SKILLS project is funded by the European Union in Libya, with co-funding from the French government. It is implemented by Expertise France in collaboration with partners in Libya and aims to support employability in the Libyan market, enhance digital transformation, improve access to finance, and develop the skills required in the green and blue economy to ensure sustainable economic development.

On Tuesday 04/02/2025, the opening of the Expertise France office in Libya in Tripoli was celebrated, in the presence of a group of representatives of ministries, governmental and private institutions, the European Union Delegation, the French Embassy in Libya, and the CEO of Expertise France, in addition to the Expertise France team in the Libyan office.

In this regard, Mr.Jeremie Pellet , CEO of Expertise France, expressed the importance of inaugurating this office in Tripoli, noting that this step reflects the commitment of Expertise France to strengthening cooperation and strategic partnerships with Libya, especially in the areas of sustainable development, and achieving positive change in various vital sectors.

The opening of Expertise France’s office in Libya will represent an important step in supporting current projects in Libya, which include several areas, including economic support, employment, education, health, governance, and digitization, and aim to enhance institutional capacities to achieve their goals to achieve real and sustainable change.