OAS MSME Newsletter: (June 2023):

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’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Project MSME Clearinghouse Experiences – Dominica

We are delighted to share experiences from Dominica, our second country highlighted from the OAS Women’s Economic Empowerment project’s MSME Clearinghouse. We begin with our National Focal Point institutions then view some insightful resources from members of our National Working Group.

Small Business Support Unit (SBSU)

The Small Business Support Unit was established to help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) overcome financial and technical challenges and contribute to national development. Government injection of funds in these businesses is primarily to create sustainable livelihoods. The Government of Dominica offers fiscal incentives to qualifying Micro and Small enterprises to support their establishment, expansion, and continued operation within various sectors. 

Access information on available incentives for micro and small businesses including duty free importation and VAT exemptions, as well as the process for applying for a fiscal incentives license.

Dominica Association of Industry and Commerce (DAIC)

Promotes the growth of Dominica’s Private Sector by helping members deliver products and services that make their businesses more competitive.

The DAIC together with ISRAAID Dominica in collaboration with the Government of Dominica hosted a 2-part Digital Marketing Seminar. Part 2 shared insights on how digital marketing techniques can help entrepreneurs grow their business online with Digital Skills Specialist, Dr. Clementine Affana.

Access this seminar which focused on three relevant areas: creating digital marketing strategies, identifying your clients, and creating content

Dominica Youth Business Trust Empowering Dominican youth in realizing their entrepreneurial potential.

Access information and a weekly outline of the four-week EDP Program including the participant online application form.

Access the DYBTs E-Training Videos including Ethics in Business and Quality Customer Service among other topics.

Caribbean Digital Transformation Project – Dominica 

The OECS (Organization of Eastern Caribbean States) Commission has recently signed on as the implementing agency for the regional components of the World Bank IDA Grant funded Caribbean Digital Transformation Project (CARDTP). The development objective of the project is to increase access to digital services, technologies and skills by governments, businesses, and individuals in the participating Eastern Caribbean countries. The project is expected to contribute to increased digital connectivity, digital public services and the creation of technology-enabled businesses and jobs across the participating countries: the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Access the Course Registration form for Digital Literacy Training under the Caribbean Digital Transformation Project.

National Development Foundation of Dominica (NDFD) 

Collaborating in the development and strengthening of a framework of business support/assistance and related effective support to small business enterprise and other business stakeholders in Dominica. Access business support services including information on Business Registration, Business plan preparation, Cash flow projections, Accounting, marketing, and other services. 

Country Policy Responses

Argentine Credit: Financing for microenterprises is launched

Within the framework of the third edition of Expo Escobar, the Ministry of Economy, together with the Secretary of Industry and Productive Development, launched the new CreAr line for productive microenterprises aimed at financing investments such as purchase of equipment, tools and other productive needs. With this launch, the National Government aims to reach 1,300,000 people to enhance the entrepreneurial profile and promote Argentine development.

More SMEs access training to promote competitiveness in their companies

New call for the Tax Credit for SME Training program that reimburses up to 100% of the costs to entities that carry out training for productive improvements.

Industry invites more SMEs to finance themselves to access international markets

The Ministry of Industry and Productive Development, through the Undersecretary of Small and Medium Enterprises, extended until June 5 the call for Potencia PyMEX, a package of $12,000 million of investment from the government to empower exporting SMEs and advance towards a more complex national productive structure, with greater added value and more technology.

Due to strong demand from SMEs, Economy doubles financing to the productive sector

It was announced that the Crédito Argentino (CreAr) program increased to 1 trillion pesos to boost strategic sectors.

IDB and CABEI invest 130 million dollars to promote the industrial digitization of Argentine SMEs

Financing for 130 million dollars was launched from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) to promote innovation and the transition of Argentine SMEs towards industry 4.0.

$100 billion for SMEs: More financing announced to boost productive investment

The new expansion responds to the high demand of SMEs that exhausted in a few hours the available quota for productive financing

YES’ Entrepreneurial Training Programme Commences

The Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme’s (YES) Entrepreneurial Development Training Programme for 2023 has been launched and is online. The Entrepreneurial Development Training, which fosters entrepreneurship, promotes self-employment and stimulates business development, started on June 5, and will conclude on August 23.

Ministry Launches Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative

The Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES) has launched a new training initiative, the “Training of Trainers” Workshop.

Government and MSMEs invite the entire population to the FexpoMype Oruro 2023 

More than 120 productive units from different areas of Oruro, Tarija, Santa Cruz, Potosí, Chuquisaca and La Paz, will participate in the third version of the FexpoMype Oruro 2023 that will take place between June 22 and 27 in Sebastián Pagador, city of Oruro, reported on Monday the Vice Minister of Micro, Small Business and Crafts.

Alliance between Sebrae and the Ministry of Justice aims to reduce violence and promote entrepreneurship

Sebrae and the Ministry of Justice will form an alliance to reduce violence in the country through entrepreneurship. The project will combine Sebrae’s Entrepreneurial City program with the National Public Safety with Citizenship Program (Pronasci). Pronasci aims to reduce crime indicators, such as homicides and crimes against life, in the most violent metropolitan regions of Brazil. The Entrepreneurial City Program aims to involve public management and local leaders in improving the business climate and promote policies aimed at meeting the main demands of small businesses, contributing to local economic development, with the improvement and institutionalization of the General Law of Micro and Small Enterprises.

Sebrae launches Energy Transition program for Small Businesses

To celebrate World Energy Day, Sebrae launches the Energy Transition for Small Businesses program that will support this segment towards the energy transition. The idea of the project is to draw the attention of small businesses to the cost of energy, its consumption and the possibility of adopting energy generation technologies, such as photovoltaics and biogas.

Registration is open for the Sebrae Women in Business Award

Registration for the Sebrae 2023 Women in Business Award is now open and can be done through the official website until July 31. In addition to recognizing the work of women entrepreneurs, the initiative also aims to inspire other women to invest in their dreams and believe in their entrepreneurial potential.

Minister Ng announces 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Program

2SLGBTQI+[1] entrepreneurs make important contributions to the Canadian economy, yet they continue to face systemic barriers in starting and growing their businesses, with 1 in 4 entrepreneurs having faced discrimination or having lost businesses because of their 2SLGBTQI+ ownership. To address these barriers and build a more inclusive economy for the over 100,000 2SLGBTQI+-owned and -operated businesses in Canada, the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, announced that the Government of Canada is investing $25 million to create the world’s first ever 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Program.

Sercotec delivers its national public account in the commercial district located at the highest altitude in Chile

The service under the Ministry of Economy shared with the Putre community and local authorities the highlights of its 2022 action. On the occasion, the organization of the Putiri Marka commercial neighborhood was formed, located at more than 3,250 meters above sea level, which will be strengthened with support from the institution.

Colombia
Collective businesses of indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities in Cauca, Nariño, Putumayo and Valle del Cauca will be able to improve their commercial capabilities and increase sales

The Commercial Development for Indigenous and Afro-Colombian Peoples project seeks to strengthen the commercial capacities of MSMEs, increase their sales and contribute to gender equality.

More than 58,000 microbusinesses better manage their income, expenses and savings, with support from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Colombia Productiva and Asomicrofinanzas

Through the Financial Inclusion for Microbusinesses program, hairdressers, shops, restaurants, workshops, among other businesses, accessed free training and advice to improve their financial ratios and improve the management of their income. More than 60% of the micro-businesses impacted by the project are led by women.

Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism and iNNpulsa Colombia launched FortaleSER, a program that will benefit 2,970 micro and small businesses in the country

FortaleSER is one of the commitments of the National Government to promote the strengthening and sustainability of productive units of the popular and community economy. This initiative will be carried out in 33 territories of the country and will have the support of the Chambers of Commerce of Bogotá, Armenia, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Cali, Ibagué and Pereira. With an investment of more than 10,000 million pesos, the program will impact businesses such as restaurants, hairdressers, travel agencies, hostels, bakeries, neighborhood stores, among others.

MICM builds quality policies for the sustainable development of industries and MSMEs

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (MICM) works on the construction of quality policies that promote the sustainable development of productivity, competitiveness of industries and MSMEs at the national and international level..

Government and MICM lend RD$10,350 MM to women’s businesses; Minister Bisonó opens “Expo Mujer Mipyme”

The Government has granted 10 thousand 350 million pesos in loans to companies led by women in the commerce, industry and services sectors, of 19 thousand million granted through the National Council for the Promotion and Support of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Promipyme ).

Launch of the project “The role of universities to strengthen enterprises and SMEs”

The Government of El Salvador, through the El Salvador Agency for International Cooperation (ESCO) and the Uruguayan Agency for International Cooperation (AUCI), launched the project “The role of universities to strengthen enterprises and SMEs: The experience of SMEs Development Centers in El Salvador.” The project seeks to know the good methodological practices carried out by the Universities, as articulating agents in the territory through the CDMYPE for the support of SMEs.Closing of the certificate “Development of Products for the textile and clothing sector”.

Seeking to strengthen the technical skills for the development of new products of micro and small enterprises in the textile and clothing sector, the Government of El Salvador through the National Commission for Micro and Small Enterprises (CONAMYPE) graduated SME participants who received the certificate “Development of products for the textile and clothing sector.”

$1.5M Youth Entrepreneurship Programme being rolled out in secondary schools

More young Guyanese are being afforded the opportunity to partake in Guyana’s business sector, with the expansion of the Youth Entrepreneurship Programme being launched in secondary schools nationwide.

Capacity-Building Support Now Available for MSMEs Under GEMINI Programme

Capacity-building support that will bolster the prospects of success for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) is now available through the Growth and Expansion of MSMEs through Innovation and Capacity-building (GEMINI) Grant pilot programme. The initiative is being implemented by the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) in collaboration with the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC). The Bank has allocated $100 million for the first year of implementation, which will cover 80 per cent of the costs for MSMEs, up to a maximum of $800,000 per applicant.

MSMEs to Benefit from Business Roadshow

The Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce has partnered with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to undertake a national initiative to strengthen the capacity of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSME) across the country. Dubbed ‘The MSME Business Roadshow,’ the national outreach will expose MSMEs to the network of support services offered by the Ministry, its agencies and partners.

Produce registered more than 13,000 SMEs free of charge, generating savings of more than S/ 4 million

Through the National Tu Empresa Program, during the period from January to June, the free registration of 13,230 SMEs was facilitated, generating savings for these business units of more than S/ 4.1 million.StartUp Peru 9G: 80 innovative ventures from 10 regions won funds of up to S/ 140,000 to grow in the market

A total of 80 innovative ventures from 10 regions of Peru are the new beneficiaries of StartUp Peru 9G, the contest of the ProInnóvate program of the Ministry of Production (Produce) that grants seed capital from S/ 60,000 to S/ 140,000 and technical support, to accelerate its entry and consolidation in the market.

Agreement with Italy to promote growth of MSMEs in the agri-food, textile and clothing sectorsWith the aim of strengthening alliances that promote the growth of the economy, the Executive, through the Foreign Trade and Tourism – Mincetur and Production – Produce sectors, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation – MAECI of Italy signed, on Friday, June 2, an important Technical Agreement to strengthen the historic collaboration of both countries in favor of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises – MSMEs in the agri-food, textile and clothing sectors.

Produces: SMEs sell more than S/ 409,000 in trade fairs during the first 4 months of 2023

Continuing with the promotion of access to new markets for micro and small enterprises – SMEs; The Ministry of Production (Produce), through the National Your Company Program – PNTE, held 8 trade fairs, with the participation of 207 SMEs; that reached total sales of S/ 409,064; in the first 4 months of this year.

MIEM-Dinapyme call for cooperative investment projects

Agricultural and work cooperatives and rural development societies can present their investment projects to obtain non-reimbursable funds. The MIEM will allocate $4 million for two modalities; one of them includes the association between various organizations, which may or may not integrate the social and solidarity economy.