A meeting of the Public-Private Working Group of the project on ‘Supporting the implementation and monitoring of Azerbaijan's SME roadmap’ will take place in Baku on 26 September, as part of the broader ‘EU4Business: From Policies to Action’ programme implemented by the OECD across the Eastern Partnership and funded by the EU in the framework of its EU4Business initiative.
Azerbaijan has adopted a set of strategic roadmaps to reignite growth in the economy and strengthen the development of its main economic sectors, including SMEs. In light of the current economic situation and Azerbaijan's increased reform efforts to diversify the economy, the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan has requested OECD assistance on the implementation and monitoring of its newly adopted SME roadmap.
As set out in the Strategic Roadmap for the production of consumer goods at the level of small and medium entrepreneurship, Azerbaijan aims to improve SME access to alternative sources of finance and increase their participation in global markets.
The morning session of the meeting will provide an opportunity for members of the Working Group to discuss the role of alternative (non-debt) finance in SME development and policies to stimulate the uptake of alternative sources of SME finance in Azerbaijan.The OECD will present preliminary findings and recommendations for discussion and feedback, and a presentation by an expert from Italy will draw on international good practices on how to design policies and supportprogrammes that could stimulate the uptake of alternativefinancing among Azerbaijani SMEs.
The afternoon session will draw attention to the policies that enable SMEs to better integrate into global value chains. The OECD will present the results of the 2018 OECD Enterprise Survey of Azerbaijan and recommendations on how to stimulate the creation of supplier linkages between SMEs and large enterprises. In addition, an expert from CzechInvest will share Czech experience in promoting linkages between SMEs and foreign investors.
The meeting will be attended by representatives from the Ministry of Economy, the Centre for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication, the private sector, and other ministries and institutions contributing to SME development in Azerbaijan.
EU4Business works with the Azerbaijani government, associations and SMEs to develop the country’s SME sector by improving access to finance and markets, encouraging women entrepreneurs and building business skills. The EU also supports the government in the development of a more coherent policy towards SMEs allowing the country to unleash the potential of SMEs for long-term socio-economic development.
Date
26/09/18