The CAP Emploi Programme is a major employment and entrepreneurship initiative launched by Tunisia’s Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training under its 2024–2027 sector plan. Supported by the African Development Bank through a €90 million loan and a $2.5 million grant from the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative, the programme aims to strengthen connections between skills development, entrepreneurship, labour market integration, and the formalisation of economic activities. Its results-based financing model links funding disbursements to the achievement of specific performance indicators, encouraging accountability and effective implementation.
The programme focuses on three key areas. The first is skills development, designed to improve employability through targeted training and reskilling programmes aligned with labour market demands. The second area promotes entrepreneurship and economic formalisation by providing business support services, facilitating access to financing, and encouraging informal workers to enter the formal economy. The third component strengthens institutional capacity by modernising monitoring systems, enhancing evaluation processes, and adapting training programmes to meet the needs of emerging sectors.
CAP Emploi serves a broad range of beneficiaries, including jobseekers, entrepreneurs, project promoters, business owners, and workers operating in the informal sector. By addressing workforce skills, business creation, and economic formalisation simultaneously, the programme seeks to create sustainable employment opportunities and stimulate economic growth across Tunisia.
By the end of 2025, the programme had achieved significant results. More than 4,500 individuals received complementary training, surpassing initial targets, with women accounting for a large majority of participants. Partnerships with businesses expanded substantially, improving opportunities for labour market integration. Entrepreneurship support services assisted over 11,000 project promoters, far exceeding planned objectives, while women represented nearly three-quarters of those receiving support.
The programme also facilitated financing for more than 3,000 projects through collaboration with the Tunisian Solidarity Bank. These investments supported entrepreneurship and business development, with nearly half of financed projects benefiting women entrepreneurs. In addition, the initiative advanced economic formalisation through a self-employed worker registration platform that issued thousands of self-employment cards, exceeding annual targets and encouraging greater participation in the formal economy.
Looking ahead, programme leaders aim to expand access to support services and financing across all regions of Tunisia by leveraging employment offices, entrepreneurship support centres, and banking networks. Strengthening local service delivery and improving the capabilities of field teams remain important priorities to ensure long-term sustainability.
Women’s economic inclusion will continue to be a central focus, with efforts directed toward improving access to finance and reducing social and economic barriers that limit entrepreneurial participation. The programme also plans to further develop the self-employed worker system by connecting participants to larger markets, subcontracting opportunities, and social protection mechanisms that can support long-term business growth.
While the programme has recorded strong early success, managing increasing demand and maintaining efficient processing times remain key challenges. Continuous improvements in monitoring and evaluation systems will be essential to ensure that investments continue generating meaningful employment, sustainable enterprises, and long-term economic value for Tunisia.
