Department of Social Development and Employment SEDI/OEA Intersectoral Perspectives on the Cooperation for the Promotion of Micro-enterprises Francisco Pilotti Director of the Department of Social Development and Employment SEDI/OAS

Department of Social Development and Employment SEDI/OEA Background: XIV IACML Working Group 1 Contribute to the analysis and promotion of measures aimed at strengthening the competitiveness and productivity of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and other production units, in the areas of technical and financial assistance and professional training, considering the local level as a factor for development and employment generation.

Department of Social Development and Employment SEDI/OEA Background: IV Summit of Mar del Plata MSMEs are a fundamental component of economic growth, job creation and the reduction of poverty and inequality.

Department of Social Development and Employment SEDI/OEA MSME: Employment and Poverty Microentrepreneurship –Heterogeneous –Job creation –Precariousness and vulnerability

Department of Social Development and Employment SEDI/OEA Common Interventions Training Access to technology Administration and management Commercialization of inputs and outputs Access to credit Fostering productive chaining

Department of Social Development and Employment SEDI/OEA Sectoral Approach Economy –Productivity Labor –Training Social Development –Poverty

Department of Social Development and Employment SEDI/OEA By the means of: - Identification of shared challenges - Undertaking cooperation activities to address them Labor Poverty Economy Inter-American networks in labor, social development and MSMEs Supporting MSMEs is a priority for all of these sectors Intersectoral Approach to Support MSMEs They meet where common challenges exist External Actors The OAS, with external support is a catalyst to address these challenges

Department of Social Development and Employment SEDI/OEA DSDE Networks The DSDE is the Technical Secretariat of: The Inter-American Conference of the Ministers of Labor and its advisory bodies The Ministerial and High Level Meeting of Social Development The Social Network for Latin America and the Caribbean And supports the activities of: The SME Congress of the Americas

Department of Social Development and Employment SEDI/OEA The Activities of this Network Support the political process of each forum Horizontal cooperation strategy –Presenting and updating national Programs that are potentially transferable to other countries –Workshops to share experiences Update comprehensive websites on Specialized Meetings Design and maintain a Virtual Dialogue Fora Technical and political videoconferences Interagency alliances Consultations with Civil Society and the Private Sector The DSDE seeks to strengthen a network of permanent dialogue in all of its thematic areas, by the means of:

Department of Social Development and Employment SEDI/OEA Supporting the development of micro and small- sized enterprises as a strategy for job creation and combating poverty in the Americas Support to the Micro, Medium and Small-sized Enterprises

Department of Social Development and Employment SEDI/OEA Specific Objectives: To identify, organize and systematize the best practices in creating and developing micro and small enterprises To prepare a concept paper on the state of the art of this topic in the Americas and develop a virtual space that presents the best practices To contribute to the hemispheric dialogue on the topic through a technical and political meeting Support to the Micro, Medium and Small-sized Enterprises

Department of Social Development and Employment SEDI/OEA Results Intersectoral workshop, July 25-26, 2006 –Ministry of Labour of Brazil and Chile Microenterprise, poverty and employment in Latin America and the Caribbean: A proposal. Conclusions and recommendations default.asphttp:// default.asp

Department of Social Development and Employment SEDI/OEA Conclusions and Recommendations Microenterprises as the unit to be addressed Territorial development as an strategy to support microentrepreneurship Intervention areas –Training –Financing –Innovation –Formalization –Government procurement