The regional EU and ILO joint initiative “Social Dialogue for Formalization and Employability in the Southern Neighbourhood (SOLIFEM)”, held its regional closing meeting on 19-20 February 2025. This hybrid event brought together ILO constituents from Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), along with other stakeholders from other countries of the region and development partners, to reflect on project achievements, share experiences, and discuss sustainability strategies for the future.

The meeting culminated in the adoption of the “Regional Guidelines for Sustainable Formalization: Outcome Document of the Regional Closing Meeting of SOLIFEM project”. The document provides a roadmap for sustaining progress in employability, formalization and social dialogue across Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. It will also contribute to the reflection in view of the Union for the Mediterranean Ministerial Meeting on Employment in October 2025.

As SOLIFEM concludes, the partners proposed concrete steps to ensure the sustainability of its achievements. Governments are encouraged to integrate formalization into national policies, institutionalize social dialogue mechanisms and using employability tools, such as the Recognition of Prior Learning, to facilitate the transition of youth and women to the formal economy. Employers’ organizations are called to expand economic advisory programs, provide targeted training and compliance support, and develop sector-specific formalization roadmaps to assist businesses in transitioning to formal operations. Workers’ unions will strengthen their role by expanding outreach to informal workers, advocating for their representation in social dialogue, and integrating formalization support into broader worker assistance programs.

The SOLIFEM “Regional Guidelines” also emphasized the persistent need to sustaining regional exchanges and peer learning among the countries. They also proposed to establish an Arab Social Dialogue Forum as a sustainable mechanism for dialogue, coordination, and joint policy development.

The Outcome document called for the support of development partners in establishing a dedicated funding mechanism to support national and regional tripartite initiatives that promote sustainable and institutionalized formalization. These collective efforts will transform formalization from a project-based initiative into a long-term policy priority, fostering decent work, economic inclusion, and social stability in the Southern Mediterranean region.

Since its launch, SOLIFEM has supported the transition from the informal to the formal economy, strengthened social dialogue, and promoted skills development and employability, especially for youth and women. The closing meeting provided an opportunity to assess the project’s impact, review the findings of the final independent evaluation, and explore the potential for scaling up successful formalization approaches in target countries and beyond.

With the adoption of the Regional Guidelines for Sustainable Formalization, the closing meeting marked a milestone in advancing formalization and social dialogue in the Southern Neighbourhood.