February 9-10, 2026 (DJIBOUTI CITY, Djibouti) ICPALD in collaboration with the University of Djibouti and the Chamber of Commerce organized the National Policy Workshop, to deliberate on a completed in-depth entrepreneurship ecosystem assessment carried out under the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Development for Fragility Reduction (EIDFR) project.
The workshop was attended by representatives from Djibouti National Chamber of Commerce, Ministries of Agriculture/Livestock/Fisheries, Djibouti Young Entrepreneurs Association (DJEA), Youth Entrepreneurs, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and University of Djibouti.
The assessment under review provided a clear picture of the strengths, gaps, promising opportunities and priority actions needed to unlock entrepreneurship as a pathway to sustainable jobs especially for young people in key sectors like agriculture, livestock, fisheries and services.
This diversity of attending participants from across key ecosystem actors enriched discussions on key findings and led to the shaping of a policy roadmap to boost innovation and entrepreneurship with a fragility lens. Additionally, the active participation of youth entrepreneurs ensured the deliberations aligned with their on-the-ground challenges.
Overall, participants validated the findings of the assessment, noting that they accurately reflected the realities in Djibouti. They further underscored the importance of translating the findings into clear, structured follow-up actions with defined responsibilities, timelines, and coordination mechanisms to ensure tangible and sustained impact.
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Background
The AfDB-funded EIDFR project seeks to strengthen institutional capacity for entrepreneurship development, promote innovation ecosystems and create sustainable employment opportunities for youth.
A similar national workshop was held in Juba, South Sudan on 16-17 February 2026 during which validation of the South Sudan findings took place.
