ALGIERS/WASHINGTON, D.C., September 28, 2004 —
IFC’s small and medium enterprises project development facility operating in Algeria, the Centre International des Affaires (CINAF), a local private consulting firm, and CCIMP (Marseilles’ chamber of commerce) jointly held a one-day conference in Algiers today on boosting non-oil exports by small and medium enterprises.
Recent studies by IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, show significant growth in Algeria’s non-oil exports, and rapid diversification – both by product type and country. However, while Algeria’s non-oil exports are expected to remain robust going forward, exporters continue to face severe constraints in the local export chain, including the inconsistent application of legal texts.
Around 120 representatives from the financial sector, public export support agencies, business associations, and over 70 small and medium enterprises attended the conference, held under the patronage of the Algerian minister for small and medium enterprises. The conference institutionalized the transfer to Algeria of Cap sur l’International, a new training tool targeting SMEs that are looking to open up foreign markets.
Cap sur l’International will help improve the ad hoc methods currently used by Algerian exporters to approach foreign markets. It tool was initially developed by CCIMP developed the training tool and has applied it successfully in other countries. Six Algerian small businesses participating in the local pilot phase of the Cap sur l’International tool presented export action plans at the conference, developed with the assistance of CINAF and CCIMP.
The conference also provided a forum for state export support agencies in the finance and insurance sector and the Algerian customs agency to discuss their available facilities and programs with the small and medium enterprises.
CINAF (Centre International des Affaires)
is
a dynamic private consulting firm
founded in 2000, and organized in 4 LLCs: CINAF/parent company
(investment projects and services) – CINAF/Consulting
(consulting for companies’ upgrading and certification) – CINAF/Avomark
(virtual/online portal proposing services to enterprises), and CINAF/ Agra
(information, training and advisory services in agribusiness). CINAF’s main fields are: local SMEs benchmarks dissemination, new products and tools development, management competencies improvement, international partnerships and networks promotion.
The mission of IFC (
www.ifc.org
) is to promote sustainable private sector investment in developing countries, helping to reduce poverty and improve people’s lives. IFC finances private sector investments in the developing world, mobilizes capital in the international financial markets, helps clients improve social and environmental sustainability, and provides technical assistance and advice to governments and businesses. From its founding in 1956 through FY04, IFC has committed more than $44 billion of its own funds and arranged $23 billion in syndications for 3,143 companies in 140 developing countries. IFC’s worldwide committed portfolio as of FY04 was $17.9 billion for its own account and $5.5 billion held for participants in loan syndications.
