GEPA pledges support to build capacities of small businesses
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Dr Afua Asabea Asare, has assured small businesses of the authority’s commitment to support them build on their capacities.
She said that would help them develop the kind of resilience that would enable them to compete favourably on international markets.
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Speaking at the 13th World Trade Promotion Organizations conference in Accra, she said the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS) launched in 2020 to grow non-traditional exports would serve as a vehicle to develop the small businesses.
“Indeed, the success of the NEDS launched under the auspices of the Ministry of Trade and Industry to achieve export earnings of USD25.3billion by 2029, is based on three significant pillars:
“Boosting productivity levels of exports; creating an enabling business environment to encourage increased exports; and building the capacity of persons in the value chain of exports to enable them compete favourably in international markets,” she said.
Touching on the theme, “Bold Solutions for Resilience and Recovery,” she hoped it would provide the needed trends and insights to enable trade promotion organisations (TPOs) to support our micro, small and medium enterprises more, while drawing from the experiences of various markets.
The two-day event is being organised by the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) and the International Trade Centre (ITC).
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, said TPOs needed to employ aggressive and innovative reforms to position SMEs for resilience and recovery.
He said that for TPOs to be able to play their roles effectively, governments, especially those in developing countries must now put trade at the center of their development agenda.
“Trade must be mainstreamed in national development plans. Programmes and projects that enhance trade must be aggressively pursued by TPOs.”
“TPOs must identify specific areas where global trade disruptions have created opportunities for scaling up local production in their national economy, and build partnerships with private sector business associations to take advantage of such opportunities.” he said.