AMMAN - Experts in entrepreneurship from 27 countries convened in Amman on Monday to exchange knowledge and expertise on how to strengthen small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries in light of the global financial crisis.
Directors of Empretec, which is a capacity-building programme of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in the field of SMEs and entrepreneurial skills promotion, reviewed means to assist promising entrepreneurs to grow their businesses regionally and globally.
Among the main topics covered by participants from Angola, Argentina, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Panama, Palestine, Uganda, Venezuela and Zimbabwe was assisting entrepreneurs with access to finance, particularly in light of strict lending measures by banks after the global downturn.
Nayef Stetieh, president and chief executive officer of the Business Development Centre (BDC), indicated that 98 per cent of the Jordanian private sector is employed in small and medium enterprises, 68 per cent of which 62 per cent were established by entrepreneurs.
"Entrepreneurs perform vital functions in economic development and should be perceived as job creators and not job seekers," he said. "They add value to natural resources and produce necessary goods and services."
During the event, organised by BDC, Industry and Trade Minister Amer Hadidi briefed participants on the main impacts of the global recession on the Jordanian economy. He mentioned drop in exports and decline in workers' remittances and the flow of foreign direct investment.
Hadidi highlighted actions taken by the government to ease the consequences of the crisis especially the formation of a higher committee headed by the premier to monitor changes in main economic indicators.
He said a national trade strategy has been developed to improve regulatory procedures for trade and investment, adding that a new industrial policy will focus on increasing the competitiveness of SMEs and promote entrepreneurship in business.
UNCTAD representative Fiorina Mugione said the programme seeks to expand its operations in Jordan by training more people on skills to improve their businesses, pointing out that the services and tourism sectors have the opportunity to grow.
"I met with over 25 entrepreneurs from Jordan supported by BDC and I was impressed how they overcame credit difficulties through networking with suppliers," she noted.
Charles Ocici, Empretec director of Uganda, explained that such programmes can facilitate trade between countries, indicating that his country will be importing fertilisers from Jordan soon.
Stating that he was briefed on Jordanian technology in digging for water, Ocici invited Jordanian companies to take part in water projects in the African country.
Empretec Jordan conducted 22 entrepreneurship workshops for training around 440 entrepreneurs and employees from financial institutions as well as organisations dealing with SMEs, according to Stetieh who noted that such workshops created 240 job opportunities.
Empretec Jordan Programme was designed in light of the experience gained in 28 countries and in accordance with the Empretec methodology, by identifying promising entrepreneurs and providing them with training to strengthen their business skills, in addition to assisting them in preparing business plans in accessing finance for their ventures.
By Omar Obeidat
© Jordan Times 2009
