Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan.30
By Nigar Guliyeva – Trend:
A new Regional Small Business Programme (RSBP) was launched for small and medium-sized private enterprises (SMEs) in Central Asia, the EBRD said in a message on Jan.30.
The EU-funded project will be managed by the EBRD and will equip financial institutions in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan with new digital business tools for effective work with small businesses.
The programme is designed to transfer know-how in the field of micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) finance. The program will be realized by the German consulting company IPC (Internationale Projekt Consult GmbH).
The RSPB will establish a knowledge-sharing platform accessible to partners in MSME finance in Central Asia. It will also help local financial intermediaries to get systematic digital access to the EBRD’s experience in this field. Partner banks from Central Asia will receive regular training on a variety of topics relevant to financial institutions providing their services to MSMEs. It is envisaged that eventually this digital platform will be transformed into an online learning system that is more widely available to financial institutions in Central Asia.
The programme’s key partner in Kazakhstan will be the “Damu” Entrepreneurship Development Fund JSC, which operates in all regions of Kazakhstan and has considerable experience of working with local businesses, public organisations and local executive authorities.
Head of the EBRD in Kazakhstan Agris Preimanis said that the RSBP will not only employ modern technologies but will also target wider audiences in multiple locations across Central Asia, making it a better and more efficient programme for MSME financiers.