OAS MSME Newsletter: ( April 2025):
This OAS MSME Newsletter is published by the Department of Economic Development of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI). It is dedicated to measures recently announced by OAS Member States to drive the economic recovery of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The policy responses vary from country to country and are specific to the economic circumstances of each Member State. Given that every day produces new developments, this inventory is in no way exhaustive.
It is supported by the SME Help Center, a service channel that assists in managing procedures with various areas and decentralized agencies of the National Government. In addition, it will help identify the needs of the local productive ecosystem, facilitating a more favorable environment for regional economic development.
The parameters for registering companies in the MSME Registry are updated
The National Government updated the access parameters for the Registry of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises and incorporated a QR code into the MSME Certificate to optimize its real-time verification.
The National Government implements measures to strengthen the SGR System
The Secretariat for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Entrepreneurs, and the Knowledge Economy of the Ministry of Economy established, through Resolution 56/2025, a series of measures aimed at optimizing the functioning of the Reciprocal Guarantee Society System (SGR).
29 supermarkets, stores, and private businesses are joining the “Consume lo Nuestro” initiative.
Starting on Wednesday, April 29 supermarkets, stores, and private businesses across the country will be selling through the Consume lo Nuestro app to boost and encourage demand for products with the “Made in Bolivia” seal. The subsidy delivery points will also have special spaces to promote domestically produced items. The President stated that “This public-private partnership opens new marketing opportunities for microenterprises, artisans, and public companies, generating a positive impact on the national economy and supporting our producers.”
The President, along with the Minister of Productive Development and Plural Economy, began the delivery of 157 machines and equipment to women producers in six municipalities across the country, as part of the “Project to Strengthen Productive Units Led by Women with a Gender Perspective in Bolivia.”
With the goal of strengthening national production and supporting Bolivian producers, the Minister of Productive Development and Plural Economy announced that starting this Wednesday, payments to producers and entrepreneurs who make their sales through the “Consume Lo Nuestro” mobile application will be made daily.
Agreement will boost the participation of small businesses in trade with Chile
Brazil and Chile are strengthening their partnership in foreign trade to benefit and boost small businesses in both countries. To this end, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed on Tuesday April 22nd by the president of Sebrae, and the Technical Cooperation Service of Chile(Sercotec).
Currently, Brazil is Chile’s third largest supplier, with an 11% market share. At the same time, Chile is the sixth largest destination for Brazilian exports, according to data from the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services (MDIC). The agreement signed this Tuesday is a significant milestone after more than two decades of relations between the entities.
Formalization and credit guarantee more profitable business
Increase in revenue is now 25% higher, according to a survey by Sebrae. In total, in 2025, the sector lent more than R$ 1.2 billion to 155 thousand customers. Informal entrepreneurs are increasingly looking for options to invest in the growth of their small businesses. This is what a survey by the Brazilian Association of Microcredit and Microfinance Operating Entities (Abcred) points out, which shows that 65% of the 155 thousand customers of microfinance institutions are working informally. At the beginning of this year alone, R$ 1.22 billion in financing was released.
Sercotec will provide $5 million to micro and small businesses and cooperatives
The Crece program has opened its annual call for applications, which provides financing and technical assistance for investments that boost the development of the country’s SMEs. Applications can be submitted until April 30 at www.sercotec.cl. As part of Entrepreneurship Week, the Technical Cooperation Service (Sercotec), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Economy, Development, and Tourism, announced the opening of applications for the Crece fund, an initiative that seeks to boost the development of micro and small businesses and cooperatives in the country.
Sercotec launches a fund for women to start businesses in sectors with a greater presence of men
The Capital Pioneras program opened a national call for proposals for the first time, allocating more than $1.5 billion to provide financing and technical support to female entrepreneurs seeking to start businesses in areas such as construction, mining, and vehicle repair, among others. Applications can be submitted until April 15.
The training initiative, which offers a variety of topics, seeks to contribute to strengthening SMEs in the country. The first course will address digitalization for sales, and registration closed on Thursday, March 27. With the goal of strengthening the development of micro and small businesses in the country, the Technical Cooperation Service (Sercotec) has announced the launch of free courses for SMEs that delve into key topics for business management. The initiative, implemented in conjunction with the Institute of International Studies of the University of Chile (IEI), seeks to impart knowledge in areas such as artificial intelligence, cost management, digitalization, sustainability, and time management.
Sercotec opens a fund that promotes the creation and formalization of SMEs in the country
An initiative that provides subsidies and support to formally implement a business idea, with the capacity for growth and sustainability over time. With a view to promoting the development of formal micro and small businesses in Chile, the Technical Cooperation Service (Sercotec) announced the launch of its Capital Semilla Emprende (Emprende Seed Capital) program, a competitive fund that supports entrepreneurs in realizing their business ideas.
These companies demonstrated their commitment to timely payment to their suppliers, meeting payment deadlines of less than 45 days and fostering the growth of MSMEs that supply them with goods and services by providing greater liquidity and improved cash flow.
Key recommendations for starting or promoting your business
In commemoration of World Entrepreneurship Day, which is celebrated on April 16, the Ministry published a video with recommendations for those who want to start or strengthen their path in the world of entrepreneurship.
The Official EXPOPYME 2025 organized by the MEIC is coming
The Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Commerce (MEIC) announces the opening of the call for applications for the Official EXPOPYME 2025, aimed at entrepreneurs and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) registered with the MEIC. This event, which has established itself as the official expo for SMEs and entrepreneurs in Costa Rica, is a key space for the visibility, marketing, and strengthening of Costa Rican businesses. Selected companies will be offered a free booth for their participation.
MICM and UNDP train consultants to strengthen MSMEs in the country
The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in the Dominican Republic conducted a training course for business consultants using the “En Marcha” methodology. This methodology focuses on advising entrepreneurs and micro and small business owners to strengthen their capacities, fostering their competitiveness and sustainability in the market through innovation in business models and improving their commercial image.
Credit seeks to transform migrant remittances into family businesses
The Institute for the Promotion of Ecuador (PROECUADOR), attached to the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment, and Fisheries (MPCEIP), and BanEcuador, signed a framework agreement for inter-institutional cooperation to support Ecuadorians living abroad in converting their remittances into businesses. The Productive Remittance Product provides access to loans from USD 500 to USD 20,000 for local businesses with export potential. Among the main topics of this agreement is the promotion of the remittance service, with a partnership with Western Union that allows people to collect their remittances at the bank’s branch network.
Government promotes productive loans at the third Sectoral Cabinet meeting held in Los Ríos
The Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment, and Fisheries led a forum for the coordination, and harmonization of public policies, together with representatives from various state ministries, to strengthen our productive fabric, promote national competitiveness, and generate employment. Among the main agreements reached, were productive loans for small agricultural producers.
CONAMYPE and FANTEL Conclude Specialized Diploma in Industrialization for MSMEs
During the event, a total of 46 micro and small businesses successfully completed this business training process, representing productive sectors such as food, metalworking, textiles and clothing, and cosmetics, services, among others. The main purpose of the diploma was to strengthen the industrial capacities of micro and small businesses, providing them with technical and methodological tools to improve their production processes, increase their operational efficiency, and enhance their competitiveness in the market.
The “Global Connection: Mission El Salvador” Business Roundtable was held. The event aimed to strengthen commercial ties between Salvadoran and Colombian companies in the textile, apparel, and fashion sectors. The event brought together 10 Salvadoran micro and small businesses from the SMODA Official Fashion and Home Cluster, who participated in an interactive event with 10 Colombian SMEs. The meeting format was designed to foster business opportunities, knowledge exchange, and strategic connections between both delegations.
Mineco strengthens capacities in the workshop “Commercial Strategies for Sales to the State”
The Vice Ministry of MSME Development, through Business Development Services, held the workshop “Commercial Strategies for Sales to the State.” It provided participating entrepreneurs with a range of knowledge on how public procurement is carried out by government purchasing units, with the aim of creating an appropriate commercial strategy to address this market.
Ministry of Economy Promotes Access to Credit with the First Workshop on Secured Transactions
The Ministry of Economy, through the Vice Ministry of Registry Affairs and the Secured Transactions Registry (RGM), marks a new milestone in its commitment to the country’s economic development by inaugurating the First Workshop on Secured Transactions. The event, which included the participation of Registry users, cooperatives, MSMEs, financial institutions, banks, and entrepreneurs, aims to exchange experiences and promote actions that strengthen access to credit and financial inclusion for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
Prime Minister Announces Bold Improvements to Reduce Bureaucracy and Fast-Track Economic Growth
In a decisive move to accelerate Jamaica’s economic transformation, the Prime Minister has announced sweeping reforms aimed at streamlining processes in the public bureaucracy and eliminating bureaucratic inefficiencies that stifle growth.
“Experts in the Digital Economy” Promote Technological Transformation to Close Women’s Month 2025
Given that currently in Mexico, 67.5 percent of organizations identify cybersecurity and data protection as their main risk, reflecting the growing complexity of cyber threats, the event included the presentation “Cybersecurity in the Digital Economy.”
Made in Mexico national campaign relaunched in Guanajuato and companies recognized
During the event, held in the municipality of Celaya, it was highlighted that Mexico is experiencing a new era of the global economy, in which the country has managed to position itself with the best preferential treatment among 185 nations, thanks to its trade strategy within the USMCA, which maintains 0% tariffs for key sectors such as agri-food, footwear, and textiles. “The Made in Mexico logo is not just a logo, it is a statement of identity, a platform that unites rural producers with urban consumers, small businesses with large retailers, and individual dreams with a collective national project.”
Challenges for the Formalization and Competitiveness of MSMEs Analyzed
The Deputy Ministers of Commerce and Services (MIC), and MSMEs held a working meeting with the president of the Association of Merchants and Importers of Paraguay (ASIMCOPAR), where they discussed the major challenges facing the sector, including the formalization and competitiveness of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. The meeting focused on specific topics such as trade facilitation in Paraguay, the digitalization of MSMEs, banking and credit card adoption, and international trade.
Argentina’s INTI Mission to Strengthen the Productivity of MSMEs in Alto Paraná and Itapúa
A technical delegation from Argentina’s National Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI) visited Paraguay as part of the project “Advice for Strengthening the Support System for SMEs and Entrepreneurs through Business Development Services (BDS)” implemented by the MIC and through the General Directorate of Regional Development and the General Directorate of Training and Technical Assistance of the Vice Ministries of Industry and MSMEs.
PRODUCE formalizes more than 22,000 businesses and opens more service points nationwide
The Ministry of Production (PRODUCE), through the Tu Empresa Program, has formalized a total of 22,428 small and medium-sized businesses nationwide to date, generating economic savings of S/ 4.6 million for entrepreneurs. This result has been possible thanks to the free advice provided at the Business Development Centers (CDE), located in various regions of the country, where entrepreneurs receive support throughout the formalization process.
As part of the Second Fact-Finding Mission of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Ministry of Production (PRODUCE) led the working meeting: Opening a Business in Peru. This activity marks a milestone toward the implementation of the Digital Single Window (DST), a key initiative for simplifying and digitalizing procedures for productive activities in the country. The Vice Minister of MSMEs and Industry highlighted the importance of this initiative in strengthening the Peruvian entrepreneurial ecosystem.
PRODUCE launches “Produce Más,” the digital channel that facilitates the growth of entrepreneurs
As part of the Callao SME Digital Training Session, the Minister of Production presented “Produce Más,” a new digital channel designed to promote the creation, growth, and consolidation of micro and small enterprise (MSME) entrepreneurs in various productive sectors, including fishing and aquaculture.
Thirty-three participants complete YEA Accounting Software Integration Training Programme
Thirty-three participants have completed the Bookkeeping II – Accounting Software Integration Training Programme hosted by the Youth Economy Agency (YEA). The training programme was held under the theme, “Building Financial Confidence: The Power of Accurate Bookkeeping”. The five-week comprehensive course covered the fundamentals of accounting software, from initial setup to advanced features and troubleshooting. The course was designed for beginners and intermediate users who want to effectively manage their organization’s financial records.
Operationalization of SME Forex Window by the Export Import Bank of Trinidad and Tobago
The Ministry of Finance advises of the launch of the SME Forex Window as a pilot project through the Export-Import Bank of Trinidad and Tobago which will expand the existing forex programmes that are in place by this Government and is specifically targeted to supporting small and medium business growth and economic activity. At this time, this new forex window will be available to clients of Republic Bank Limited (RBL) and First Citizens Bank Limited (FCB) and can be accessed by small and medium businesses across all business sectors including retail and services. Eligible businesses could access up to US$50,000.00 per month to pay international business expenses which is expected to improve forex access for many companies in the very near term.
SBA Sets Dates for Free National Small Business Week Virtual Summit
The U.S. Small Business Administration and SCORE, mentors to America’s small businesses and an SBA resource partner, set the dates for the 2025 National Small Business Week virtual summit. The free two-day online event will take place May 6 and 7 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET and registration is required (https://vevents.virtualtradeshowhosting.com/event/NSBWVirtualSummit/2025/register?mcc=SBALandingWebPage). The virtual summit will feature educational workshops presented by cosponsors, access to federal resources, and networking and mentorship opportunities. Participants will be able to learn about a wide range of topics including manufacturing, digital marketing, cybersecurity and AI, cryptocurrency and online business resources.
MIEM Begins Tour of the Interior with a Focus on Productive Development and Decentralization
The government held a series of meetings in Rocha with stakeholders from the productive, academic, and commercial ecosystems to outline a joint work agenda. MIEM is committed to strengthening the territory, promoting MSMEs, promoting job placement for young professionals, and closing technological gaps in the country.
Uruguay is participating, along with Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama, in this WIPO initiative that seeks to develop and empower women entrepreneurs in Latin America to strengthen their participation in the intellectual property ecosystem. It promotes value creation through the management of intangible assets and seeks to facilitate access to peer networks and strengthen associative ties.
