Taking place on 27-28 June 2017 in Minsk, Belarus (Hotel Renaissance), the policy seminar ‘Belarus’s SME strategy: putting policies into action’ will focus on the objectives of an SME strategy and how it can be put into operation through a dedicated action plan and coordination among public-private stakeholders.
The workshop will take place over two days. The first day will cover the draft SME strategy 2030 and provide international good practice on how to effectively put policy reforms into operation. The objective of this session is to stimulate a discussion on the priorities outlined, identify potential gaps and share experiences.
The second day will focus on Belarus’s draft concept note on establishing an SME agency whose functions include handling credit guarantee funds. The session will provide insights into how to design, establish and manage a credit guarantee fund supporting Belarusian SMEs’ access to finance, as well as guidelines and good practices. The objective of the session is to stimulate a discussion on the main issues to consider when selecting an appropriate credit guarantee fund model for Belarus.
The seminar will be attended by Belarusian government stakeholders responsible for SME policy making, the Belarusian Fund for Financial Support of Entrepreneurs, business development service providers, the private sector, business associations and representatives from international organisations.