Activity under preparation NIP South 2024 (Neighbourhood Investment Platform) The Neighbourhood Investment Platform (NIP) is a blending facility, combining European Union grant contributions or financial instruments, with other public and private sector resources such as loans and equity in order to leverage additional non-grant financing. It forms part of the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) as foreseen in Article 32 of the NDICI ¿ Global Europe Regulation.The key objective of the NIP is, within the framework of the NDICI ¿ Global Europe Regulation, the EuroMed partnership and the Eastern Partnership, to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), creating sustainable jobs and infrastructures, and addressing root causes of migration. To achieve this objective, vital capital investments must be made to rehabilitate, modernise or build essential infrastructures needed for safe and efficient transport of goods and people; enhance food security and resilience to shocks; safe production, transport and consumption of energy; effective environmental protection (in particular to ensure the quality of air, water and soil); sustainable waste management; climate change-related issues, digital transformation of societies especially with regard to access to digital tools, digital skills training and better business environment for SMEs and start-ups; as well as economic growth through the support to private sector development. In addition, capital is need for the provision of basic social services such as health and education; as well as economic growth through the support to private sector development, in particular micro, small, and medium size enterprises (MSMEs).