OAS MSME Newsletter: ( July 2024):
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.
OAS Women Economic Empowerment Program
Capacity Building in Digital Transformation for Success in the International Market Place
Training and coaching sessions, for women-led MSMES in beneficiary countries of the Eastern Caribbean, to enable market-ready and near market ready businesses to effectively navigate and thrive the digital marketplace, showcasing high-quality products and services to a global audience.
Capacitar, the virtual platform with more than 400 free courses for SMEs and entrepreneurs, has arrived
This public-private initiative has among its objectives the creation of employment, promoting the development of companies and entrepreneurs, promoting the training of qualified resources and strengthening the export of goods and services.
The Office of the Prime Minister Holds Buy Belizean Campaign Informational Session
The Office of the Prime Minister, through BELTRAIDE, hosted a Buy Belizean Information and Exchange session today at the Phoenix Business Center in Belmopan. The session brought together key stakeholders from both the public and private to discuss and design the initiatives aimed at boosting local Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSMEs).
“Consume lo Nuestro” application promoted the sale of more than Bs 500 million in products
The “Consume lo Nuestro” mobile application, whose platform was created to reactivate the Bolivian economy and promote the consumption of products and services made in Bolivia, promoted the sale of more than Bs 500 million of products throughout the country. The “Consume lo Nuestro” mobile application is an initiative of the National Government, through the Ministry of Productive Development and Plural Economy, the Vice Ministry of Micro and Small Business and Crafts with small and medium-sized entrepreneurs to reactivate the country’s economy and promote consumption of products made in Bolivia.
The SEGIP registers the occupation of microentrepreneurs in their identity cards
Thanks to an agreement between the General Personal Identification Service – SEGIP and the Ministry of Productive Development and Plural Economy, through the Vice Ministry of Micro, Small Business and Crafts, the identity cards of microentrepreneurs and artisans will be registered with their trade and occupation. The inclusion of the occupation in the Identity Card will make it easier for producers to obtain accreditation from the relevant authorities for the purchase of inputs such as gasoline, fuel and others that are used for the manufacture of their products, as well as accreditation to avoid confiscation of merchandise within the Plurinational State of Bolivia.
Sebrae delivers Selo Diamante to 148 Salas do Empreendedor and partners
The units received the award for their work of excellence in 2023. The Diamond Seal takes into account aspects such as promptness of service, environmental quality, digital presence, articulation with the municipality for development of entrepreneurship and mainly in the quality of the content delivered to the public.
Provocateurs: A new series of Sebrae to inspire entrepreneurs
The videos available on the Sebrae channel on Youtube show exclusive contents of women who are an inspiration in Brazil. How do women develop leadership? How do they overcome obstacles? These and other answers are included in the series of videos entitled “Provocateurs”.
One of Brazil’s two largest startup acceleration programs opens new registrations
InovAtiva Hub offers 280 vacancies for Cycle 2024.2, the InovAtiva Brazil and InovAtiva Socio-Environmental Impact acceleration programs. The InovAtiva Hub, free and equity-free public policy to support innovative entrepreneurship in Brazil, announces the opening of registrations for its InovAtiva Brasil and InovAtiva Socio-Environmental Impact acceleration programs for the second semester. Interested entrepreneurs can register for free on the site, from July 8 to August 5, 2024.
Sebrae trains public managers to be agents in the promotion of economic and social development
To engage public managers in promoting economic and social development in their territories, Sebrae promotes the Transform Together event. From July 9 to 11, the institution expects to receive, in Brasilia/DF, more than 2 thousand participants to share experiences on municipal public policies.
Amazon Sebrae Academy prepares small businesses for the international market
The digital market expands the possibilities for companies to conquer clients in other countries. The expansion of marketplaces, especially, will facilitate access to consumers around the world. To develop small businesses’ capacity to enter the international market, such as the USA, Canada and Mexico, the Amazon Sebrae Academy is offering free content, workshops and mentoring for entrepreneurs interested in selling outside of Brazil, taking advantage of the benefits of the Global Sales Program with Amazon.
Small businesses are responsible in the first five months of the year for the generation of six in every 10 new jobs created in the country’s economy. The second survey was carried out by Sebrae, based on the Cadastro Geral de Empregados e Desempregados (Caged), this segment generated approximately 655 thousand new job posts, in a universe of little more than 1 million vacancies open between January and May.
Increase in resources to support SMEs victims of rural violence
The initiative will have coverage in five regions of the country and for the first time will incorporate non-formalized businesses, providing subsidies so that affected companies can restore their productive activities.
Sercotec adds Rebuild your SME program
The initiative has a national budget of $187 million, intended to boost businesses that reported material damage after incidents that occurred starting in October 2019. You can apply until July 17.
The document establishes conditions to facilitate information exchange, development of joint programs and exploration of global markets for SMEs from both nations.
Sercotec opens a call for SMEs and cooperatives to enter international and local marketplaces
The service announced the opening of the Global Pymes program, which seeks to promote the arrival of Chilean businesses to international marketplaces, such as Amazon, Mercado Libre and Apanio. Applications to the Digital Business program were also opened for entry to national online sales platforms. In total, 210 micro and small businesses and cooperatives in the country are expected to benefit.
240 commercial establishments led by women victims of the conflict improve their business capabilities
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, and Colombia Productiva, in alliance with Promigas, Surtigas and its Promigas Foundation, as well as the Capital Foundation, invest $3,222 million in training, assistance and support to increase the income of businesses of women victims of conflict in seven departments of the country.
With the ‘EnCadena, better suppliers’ strategy, MinComercio and Colombia Productiva, in agreement with the Universidad de los Andes, open a call to improve conditions as suppliers to anchor companies.
27 artisans receive Artisan Costa Rica Seal
Within the framework of the Official ExpoPyme 2024, – San José edition that takes place in the Old Customs House, the VI award of the Costa Rica Artisanal Seal was held, where 27 artisans from all over the country obtained this distinction and join the 176 that have received it. The seal is an inter-institutional effort led by the MEIC, together with the Ministry of Culture and Youth (MCJ), the National Tourism Institute (ICT) and the National Learning Institute (INA), which seeks to guarantee national and foreign consumers the possibility of purchasing Costa Rican crafts with characteristics of identity, quality, design and appropriate environmental practices.
Training program “Get active to undertake… You can do it!” concludes
The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (MICM), the Council for the Promotion and Support of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Promipyme) and the School of Industrial Organization of Spain (EOI) successfully closed the “Activate to undertake” program …You can!”, through which 1,000 people from all over the country were taught for free, strengthening and acquiring the necessary knowledge to lead a change in their lives, as well as offering participants the knowledge and skills necessary for their incorporation into the market. labor.
Ministry of Production promotes the growth and competitiveness of Ecuadorian MSMEs
The Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries (MPCEIP) works to promote and strengthen Ecuadorian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), recognizing their fundamental role in the national economy. During the period between November 2023 and May 2024, the MPCEIP has implemented numerous initiatives to promote the growth and competitiveness of this important sector, obtaining tangible results in various areas. Among the most notable achievements are the organization of 73 productive fairs and 52 commercial links, as well as the holding of four SME Ecuador events in different cities of the country. These initiatives have not only facilitated the access of 2,269 MSMEs to the national market, but have also contributed to strengthening their presence and recognition in the commercial field.
Second graduation of the “Accelerate Your Company” diploma
The Government of El Salvador through the National Commission for Micro and Small Enterprises (CONAMYPE) together with the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR), with the support of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the El Salvador Agency for International Cooperation (ESCO), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador (RREE) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) held the second graduation of the “Accelerate Your Company” diploma.
“ExportaSV Seminar” to promote the export culture of the country’s micro and small businesses.
The Government of El Salvador, through the National Commission for Micro and Small Enterprises (CONAMYPE), held the “ExportaSV Seminar”, through which it seeks to promote the export culture in SMES. Likewise, this forum seeks to promote the exportable offer of SMES in the international market, addressing the need to prepare and adapt their products or services to international requirements. About 60 SMES with export potential participated in this forum, belonging to the economic sectors: crafts, textiles and clothing, footwear, technological development, food, beverages, food agroindustry respectively.
Graduation of the diploma “Production Administration and Basic Fundamentals of Textile Production”
Through its Industrialization and Environment Unit, CONAMYPE carried out the graduation of the diploma “Production Administration and Basic Fundamentals of Textile Production”. This diploma aims to enhance administrative knowledge of the textile sector in El Salvador, recognizing the need and textile diversity of producers and consumers. Likewise, provide the participants of the diploma with the necessary tools to effectively lead their companies, generating a positive and lasting impact in the textile industry.
MINECO provides Q 75 million for WOMEN entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of micro and small businesses
Women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of micro and small businesses will have access to credit through resources of Q75 million from the Trust “Microenterprise Development Fund, Small and Medium Enterprises”, facilitated by the Vice Ministry of MSMES, of the Ministry of Economy to contribute to its economic development. The main objective is to provide women entrepreneurs with credit that they can use for working capital and invest in commerce, services, industry, agribusiness and crafts, with an interest rate of 10% per year on balances, within a period of 6 years.
The Vice Minister of MSME Development participated in the MSME 2024 Regional Forum where the launch of the Fund for Women Entrepreneurship (FEF), organized by Cenpromype and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, was held in the City of El Salvador. This Fund for Women Entrepreneurship is the first specific regional financial vehicle to promote the inclusion and economic autonomy of women entrepreneurs from Central America and the Dominican Republic, which make up the SICA region.
The IDB, the SDE through the SNC, joined forces to organize the inaugural event “Quality for the Competitiveness of Honduran MSMEs.”
During the day, the results of a recent diagnosis of the CNS were presented and strategic recommendations were made for its immediate strengthening. Senior officials from the SNC, SENPRENDE and COHEP participated in an enriching discussion on the impact of quality infrastructure services on the development of the private sector. Additionally, a prominent businesswoman shared her positive experience with the SNC, highlighting how quality services have optimized her business strategy and motivated other Honduran MSMEs to adopt these practices.
Within the framework of the IMPULSEHN project, the Secretariat of Economic Development (SDE) with the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and FEDECAMARA announced the launch of a competition aimed at selecting 12 Honduran micro and small businesses (MSES). to participate in the international fair “Americas Food and Beverage Show and Conference”. Event that will take place in the city of Miami, Florida, from September 16 to 18, 2024.
JBDC and SECURYS Partner to Assist MSMES with Data Protection
The Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC), in its efforts to assist Micro, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) with digital transformation, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with international specialists in privacy management, Securys Limited. This will see the Agency moving to assist entrepreneurs with implementing data privacy and protection best practices in accordance with the Data Protection Act of 2020 (DPA). The signing took place at the JBDC Head Office in Kingston on Tuesday June 18, 2024.
As part of the actions to reactivate the economy and support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) affected by Hurricane Otis in Acapulco and Coyuca de Benítez, the Undersecretary of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Economy and the Secretary of Development and Economic Development of Guerrero inaugurated the third edition of the Conference “Hand in hand with your business”, in Acapulco.
Economy presents new tools to strengthen MSMEs
Within the framework of the International Day of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and at the inauguration of the second edition of the Conference Hand in hand with your business, the Undersecretary of Foreign Trade presented three new tools with which it seeks to strengthen and promote MSMES: MipymesMX portal, the Single Window for Mipymes and the dossier “Mexican MSMEs: engine of our economy”.
MICI and AMPYME collaborate to promote the growth of micro and small businesses
AMPYME will present to the MICI a pilot plan to evaluate micro enterprises with future growth potential. Both entities will focus on preparing and facilitating tools such as the search for commercial intelligence information, among other actions. This collaboration will be formalized through the signing of an inter-institutional agreement that will detail the steps to encourage new exporters.
Strategy to link MSME producers with companies that provide school food
This measure seeks to ensure the provision of inputs from Family Farming and Paraguayan Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, as well as recommend their use to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC), the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), and the National Directorate of Public Procurement (DNC).
MSMEs highlight the opportunity to show their products at EXPO 2024
With the support of the Vice Ministry of MSMEs, of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC), micro enterprises from different sectors mark their presence at this event, demonstrating the importance of being at this type of event.
Mission to the United States with a view to improving economic opportunities for MSMEs
A Paraguayan delegation headed by the head of the MIC and the vice minister of MSMEs will carry out a trade mission to the United States, with the aim of improving opportunities and expanding programs aimed specifically at the MSMEs ecosystem, such as the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) model.
MERCOSUR reactivates instance regarding MSMEs
The Vice Ministry of MSMEs of the MIC announced that, after several meetings, the Ad Hoc Group of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (GAHMIPYMEs) of MERCOSUR was reactivated, after five years of inactivity.
Vice Ministry of MSMES and Equifax sign agreement to promote small Paraguayan companies
With the aim of improving access to credit for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, the Vice Minister of MSMEs signed an agreement this Tuesday with Equifax Paraguay, for the cross-referencing of segment data. The collaboration seeks to create a favorable environment for entrepreneurs, highlighting their fundamental role in the country’s economy.
SBA Announces $3 Million in New Grant Funding to Strengthen Cybersecurity Infrastructure for Emerging Small Businesses
State Government Agencies Will Apply Funds to Provide Critical Training to Combat Cyber Threat.
BA Announces New Solicitation to Expand Funding for Regional Innovation Cluster Network
Regional Innovation Clusters Will Increase Startup and Small Business Participation in U.S. Supply Chain.
SBA Invests Over $1 Million to Expand Support for Veteran Entrepreneurs
Organizations to Provide Critical Training and Counseling for Startups and Existing Small Businesses.
Results of the Survey of micro and small rural industries in the eastern region
The survey, developed in Lavalleja, Maldonado, Rocha and Treinta y Tres, was promoted by the MIEM, the Ministry of Tourism and the four departmental municipalities. From a base of 292 locally identified companies, 62 were studied in depth. The survey concluded that they present hybrid logics between agriculture and artisanal-industrial. Although they constitute a valuable category of public promotion policy, due to their quality production and their link with tourism, the system does not integrate them, which is why designing support tools according to their needs arises as one of the challenges.
