BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a8cdd52a7e86 DTSTART:20250827T070000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20250827T160000Z LOCATION:Bujumbura\, Burundi SUMMARY:Project launch and national workshop on enhancing Burundi SMEs part icipation in regional value chains CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:Burundi is undergoing significant economic reforms aimed at sti mulating private sector growth\, yet its participation in regional trade r emains limited\, and its economy heavily reliant on a narrow range of sect ors. While frameworks like the East African Community\, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa\, and the African Continental Free Trade A rea (AfCFTA) offer promising pathways for integration\, small and medium-s ized enterprises (SMEs) in Burundi continue to face significant challenges integrating into regional value chains (RVCs). These challenges include h igh transaction costs\, regulatory constraints\, weak access to finance\, limited production capacity\, and lack of market and trade information. To address these barriers\, UNCTAD has launched a multi-country project to e nhance the participation of SMEs in RVCs by equipping governments and priv ate sector actors with practical tools\, policy incentives\, and data-driv en insights.In the framework of the project\, the national validation work shop on enhancing Burundi SMEs’ participation in regional value chains w ill be held on 27–28 August 2025 in Bujumbura. Organized by UNCTAD in co llaboration with the Ministry of Trade\, Transport\, Industry and Tourism\ , the Presidency of the Republic\, and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Off ice in Burundi\, the workshop will validate the findings of the national i mpact study conducted by UNCTAD. The study assesses the current landscape\ , identifies structural bottlenecks and provides actionable recommendation s to strengthen SME competitiveness and regional integration under the AfC FTA. Building on a series of consultation meetings with local key stakehol ders\, the two-day workshop will bring together representatives from the g overnment\, the private sector\, development institutions\, and academia t o review the study\, enrich its recommendations\, and discuss priority pol icy actions and support mechanisms. Particular attention will be given to sectors with high SME potential such as iron and steel\, plastics\, glass and glassware\, and tea.Bringing together approximately 40 participants\, the workshop will cover thematic discussions\, presentations and recommend ations to refine the project’s implementation in Burundi. Participation is by invitation only.<\;p>\;<\;span style="\;font-family:&\; apos\;Eurostile LT Std&\;apos\;\,sans-serif\;\n\nView meeting on unctad .org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting/project-launch-and-national-workshop-enha ncing-burundi-smes-participation-regional-value DTSTAMP:20260825T000954Z END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a8cdd52a7ea0 DTSTART:20250828T070000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20250828T160000Z LOCATION:Bujumbura\, Burundi SUMMARY:Project launch and national workshop on enhancing Burundi SMEs part icipation in regional value chains CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:Burundi is undergoing significant economic reforms aimed at sti mulating private sector growth\, yet its participation in regional trade r emains limited\, and its economy heavily reliant on a narrow range of sect ors. While frameworks like the East African Community\, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa\, and the African Continental Free Trade A rea (AfCFTA) offer promising pathways for integration\, small and medium-s ized enterprises (SMEs) in Burundi continue to face significant challenges integrating into regional value chains (RVCs). These challenges include h igh transaction costs\, regulatory constraints\, weak access to finance\, limited production capacity\, and lack of market and trade information. To address these barriers\, UNCTAD has launched a multi-country project to e nhance the participation of SMEs in RVCs by equipping governments and priv ate sector actors with practical tools\, policy incentives\, and data-driv en insights.In the framework of the project\, the national validation work shop on enhancing Burundi SMEs’ participation in regional value chains w ill be held on 27–28 August 2025 in Bujumbura. Organized by UNCTAD in co llaboration with the Ministry of Trade\, Transport\, Industry and Tourism\ , the Presidency of the Republic\, and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Off ice in Burundi\, the workshop will validate the findings of the national i mpact study conducted by UNCTAD. The study assesses the current landscape\ , identifies structural bottlenecks and provides actionable recommendation s to strengthen SME competitiveness and regional integration under the AfC FTA. Building on a series of consultation meetings with local key stakehol ders\, the two-day workshop will bring together representatives from the g overnment\, the private sector\, development institutions\, and academia t o review the study\, enrich its recommendations\, and discuss priority pol icy actions and support mechanisms. Particular attention will be given to sectors with high SME potential such as iron and steel\, plastics\, glass and glassware\, and tea.Bringing together approximately 40 participants\, the workshop will cover thematic discussions\, presentations and recommend ations to refine the project’s implementation in Burundi. Participation is by invitation only.<\;p>\;<\;span style="\;font-family:&\; apos\;Eurostile LT Std&\;apos\;\,sans-serif\;\n\nView meeting on unctad .org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting/project-launch-and-national-workshop-enha ncing-burundi-smes-participation-regional-value DTSTAMP:20260825T000954Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR