BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a510735cff4c DTSTART:20250911T070000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20250911T160000Z LOCATION:Cotonou\, Benin SUMMARY:Project launch and national validation workshop on enhancing Benin SMEs participation in regional value chains CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:Benin has experienced strong economic growth in recent years\, with GDP growth rate reaching 7.5 percent in 2024\, supported by vibrant a gricultural and industrial performance. The country is committed to region al integration through frameworks such as the Economic Community of West A frican States and the West African Economic and Monetary Union\, which pro vide opportunities to expand trade and foster deeper value chain linkages. According to the country’s National Policy for the Promotion and Develop ment of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (PNPDPME 2025–2034)\, small a nd medium-sized enterprises represent more than 90 percent of businesses a nd generate between 60 and 70 percent of jobs in Benin. Yet\, persistent c hallenges\, such as limited access to finance\, weak technological capacit y\, and the dominance of informality\, continue to constrain their competi tiveness and participation in regional trade.To address these obstacles\, UNCTAD\, in collaboration with the Ministry of SMEs and Employment Promoti on and the United Nations Development Programme\, has launched a project t o strengthen SME integration into regional value chains. The initiative su pports governments and private-sector actors with policy incentives\, inno vative tools\, and digital solutions to enhance productivity and competiti veness within regional markets.As part of this effort\, a national project launch and validation workshop will take place on 11–12 September 2025 at the Golden Tulip Le Diplomate in Cotonou\, Benin. The workshop will pre sent\, review and validate the findings of UNCTAD’s national impact stud y on Benin\, which highlights priority sectors\, structural bottlenecks\, and actionable recommendations for policy and institutional support. The s tudy identifies three strategic sectors with particularly high potential f or SMEs\, including pineapple and fruit processing\, cotton and derivative s\, and iron and steel.The two-day workshop will bring together around 35 to 40 participants from government institutions\, the private sector\, aca demia\, development partners\, and UN agencies. It will cover thematic dis cussions\, presentations and recommendations to refine the project’s imp lementation in Benin. Participation is by invitation only.<\;p>\;Benin has experienced strong economic growth in recent years\, with GDP growth rate reaching 7.5 percent in 2024\, supported by vibrant agricultural and industrial performance. The country is committed to regional integration t hrough frameworks such as the Economic Community of West African States an d the West African Economic and Monetary Union\, which provide opportuniti es to expand trade and foster deeper value chain linkages.<\;/p>\;<\ ;p>\;According to the country’s National Policy for the Promotion and Development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (PNPDPME 2025–2034)\, small and medium-sized enterprises represent more than 90 percent of busin esses and generate between 60 and 70 percent of jobs in Benin. Yet\, persi stent challenges\, such as limited access to finance\, weak technological capacity\, and the dominance of informality\, continue to constrain their competitiveness and participation in regional trade.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\ ;To address these obstacles\, UNCTAD\, in collaboration with the Ministry of SMEs and Employment Promotion and the United Nations Development Progra mme\, has launched a project to strengthen SME integration into regional v alue chains. The initiative supports governments and private-sector actors with policy incentives\, innovative tools\, and digital solutions to enha nce productivity and competitiveness within regional markets.<\;/p>\;& lt\;p>\;As part of this effort\, a national project launch and validatio n workshop will take place on 11–12 September 2025 at the Golden Tulip L e Diplomate in Cotonou\, Benin. The workshop will present\, review and val idate the findings of UNCTAD’s national impact study on Benin\, which hi ghlights priority sectors\, structural bottlenecks\, and actionable recomm endations for policy and institutional support. The study identifies three strategic sectors with particularly high potential for SMEs\, including p ineapple and fruit processing\, cotton and derivatives\, and iron and stee l.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;The two-day workshop will bring together around 3 5 to 40 participants from government institutions\, the private sector\, a cademia\, development partners\, and UN agencies. It will cover thematic d iscussions\, presentations and recommendations to refine the project’s i mplementation in Benin. Participation is by invitation only.<\;/p>\;\n \nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting/project-launch-an d-national-validation-workshop-enhancing-benin-smes-participation-regional DTSTAMP:20260710T145237Z END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a510735cff8d DTSTART:20250912T070000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20250912T160000Z LOCATION:Cotonou\, Benin SUMMARY:Project launch and national validation workshop on enhancing Benin SMEs participation in regional value chains CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:Benin has experienced strong economic growth in recent years\, with GDP growth rate reaching 7.5 percent in 2024\, supported by vibrant a gricultural and industrial performance. The country is committed to region al integration through frameworks such as the Economic Community of West A frican States and the West African Economic and Monetary Union\, which pro vide opportunities to expand trade and foster deeper value chain linkages. According to the country’s National Policy for the Promotion and Develop ment of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (PNPDPME 2025–2034)\, small a nd medium-sized enterprises represent more than 90 percent of businesses a nd generate between 60 and 70 percent of jobs in Benin. Yet\, persistent c hallenges\, such as limited access to finance\, weak technological capacit y\, and the dominance of informality\, continue to constrain their competi tiveness and participation in regional trade.To address these obstacles\, UNCTAD\, in collaboration with the Ministry of SMEs and Employment Promoti on and the United Nations Development Programme\, has launched a project t o strengthen SME integration into regional value chains. The initiative su pports governments and private-sector actors with policy incentives\, inno vative tools\, and digital solutions to enhance productivity and competiti veness within regional markets.As part of this effort\, a national project launch and validation workshop will take place on 11–12 September 2025 at the Golden Tulip Le Diplomate in Cotonou\, Benin. The workshop will pre sent\, review and validate the findings of UNCTAD’s national impact stud y on Benin\, which highlights priority sectors\, structural bottlenecks\, and actionable recommendations for policy and institutional support. The s tudy identifies three strategic sectors with particularly high potential f or SMEs\, including pineapple and fruit processing\, cotton and derivative s\, and iron and steel.The two-day workshop will bring together around 35 to 40 participants from government institutions\, the private sector\, aca demia\, development partners\, and UN agencies. It will cover thematic dis cussions\, presentations and recommendations to refine the project’s imp lementation in Benin. Participation is by invitation only.<\;p>\;Benin has experienced strong economic growth in recent years\, with GDP growth rate reaching 7.5 percent in 2024\, supported by vibrant agricultural and industrial performance. The country is committed to regional integration t hrough frameworks such as the Economic Community of West African States an d the West African Economic and Monetary Union\, which provide opportuniti es to expand trade and foster deeper value chain linkages.<\;/p>\;<\ ;p>\;According to the country’s National Policy for the Promotion and Development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (PNPDPME 2025–2034)\, small and medium-sized enterprises represent more than 90 percent of busin esses and generate between 60 and 70 percent of jobs in Benin. Yet\, persi stent challenges\, such as limited access to finance\, weak technological capacity\, and the dominance of informality\, continue to constrain their competitiveness and participation in regional trade.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\ ;To address these obstacles\, UNCTAD\, in collaboration with the Ministry of SMEs and Employment Promotion and the United Nations Development Progra mme\, has launched a project to strengthen SME integration into regional v alue chains. The initiative supports governments and private-sector actors with policy incentives\, innovative tools\, and digital solutions to enha nce productivity and competitiveness within regional markets.<\;/p>\;& lt\;p>\;As part of this effort\, a national project launch and validatio n workshop will take place on 11–12 September 2025 at the Golden Tulip L e Diplomate in Cotonou\, Benin. The workshop will present\, review and val idate the findings of UNCTAD’s national impact study on Benin\, which hi ghlights priority sectors\, structural bottlenecks\, and actionable recomm endations for policy and institutional support. The study identifies three strategic sectors with particularly high potential for SMEs\, including p ineapple and fruit processing\, cotton and derivatives\, and iron and stee l.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;The two-day workshop will bring together around 3 5 to 40 participants from government institutions\, the private sector\, a cademia\, development partners\, and UN agencies. It will cover thematic d iscussions\, presentations and recommendations to refine the project’s i mplementation in Benin. Participation is by invitation only.<\;/p>\;\n \nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting/project-launch-an d-national-validation-workshop-enhancing-benin-smes-participation-regional DTSTAMP:20260710T145237Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR