JOB/GC/205  
 
19 November 2018  
(18-7225) Page: 1/2 
General Council  Original: English  
 
INFORMAL WORKING GRO UP ON MSMES  
2018 WTO PUBLIC FORU M SESSION  
ENABLING GLOBAL MSME S: HOW TECHNICAL ASS ISTANCE AND CAPACITY   
BUILDING INITIATIVES  COULD TAKE INTO ACC OUNT THE TRADE  
NEEDS AND CHALLENGES  OF MSMES?  
Summary of discussions  
The following communication, dated 16 November 2018, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegations of El Salvador and the Philippines.  
 
_______________  
 
 
The Missions of El Salvador and the Philippines jointly organised a working session entitled "Enabling 
Globa l MSMEs: How technical assistance and capacity building initiatives could take into account the 
trade needs and challenges of MSMEs?" on 3 October 2018. Ambassador Luis Cancela of Uruguay, 
coordinator of the Informal Working Group of MSMEs, delivered the o pening remarks while 
Ambassador Manuel A.J. Teehankee of the Phi lippines moderated the session.  
Micro -, small - and medium -sized enterprises (MSMEs) represent over 90% of bu siness registrations 
globally. They are among the world’s leading job creators, driv ers of productivity, and agents of 
growth. By enhancing their integration in international trade through adequate technical assistance 
and capacity building (TACB), MSMEs can exponentially increase their impact and contribution in 
achieving the  Sustainable  Development Goals.  
The following were key takeaways from the panel presentations and the discussion that Members 
can build on as WTO continues the dialogue on TACB for MSMEs:  
I. Comisión Nacional de la Micro y Pequeña Empresa de El Salvador (CONAMYPE) exp lained how 
national governments can initiate programs to promote MSMEs growth. CONAMYPE President Ileana 
Rogel presented the various MSME programs of El Salvador such as the One Village One Product, 
and programs focused on Entrepreneurship/Female Entrepren eurship, Artisan Development, 
Supplier D evelopment and Business Growth.  
II. Sidley and Fairtrade International illustrated the advantages of technical cooperation between 
MSMEs and private, non -profit organizations as well as how it empowers the ir developm ent as global 
MSMEs.  
a. Sidley’s Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program Manager, Karolina Anda Berney, talked 
about the free legal support Sidley provides to eligible MSMEs in developing countries. While 
working with hundreds of MSMEs, she cited the pattern  of psychological barriers (e.g. distrust, 
suspicion towards TACB proponent) when  accessing TACB opportunities. Thus, there is a need 
for MSMEs to break free from this impediment to harness the benefits of TACB. Videos of 
Sidley’s beneficiaries from South Africa and Nicaragua highlighted how TACB helped them 
grow and expand internationally.  
  JOB/GC/205  
 
- 2 - 
 
  b. Fairtrade International’s former CEO, Harriet Lamb, shared some of the common MSME 
challenges and limitations, such as, market competition, poor business administra tion skills, 
lack of access to buyers, and inability to access finance. Ms Lamb also argued that due to the 
varying levels of development of various countries, special and differential treatment is 
necessary to level the playing field for MSMEs to particip ate in international trade.  
III. Finally, as a beneficiary of TACB programs, Sagana Association’s Cattleya Romero -Faude 
shared how these activities addressed some of the challenges and gaps confronting MSMEs to 
integrate in international trade.  
A very inte ractive discussion followed the presentations on issues such as: access to information on 
technical regulations in host countries, certification process and price fluctuations of commodities, 
access to finance, the different needs of MSMEs due to varying l evels of development, and breaking 
free from psychological barriers to fully benefit from TACB.  
In conclusion, to promote and enable more global MSMEs, TACB in these three major areas are 
important: i) Access to Information; ii) Access to Finance;  and iii)  Access to Markets.  
 
__________