Brief on COMESA Business Council SMEs Work-Group

The 1st CBC- SME Associations Consultative workshop; towards advocacy on Constraints to SMEs in the region was held in April 2013 in Egypt. This led to the formation of the CBC SME Workgroup; which consist of the national SME Associations in the region; derived from each COMESA member state. The Work Group is currently chaired by Kenya National Federation of Jua Kali Associations (KNFJKA), Mr Richard Muteti.

The Work plan of the SME Technical Workgroup; is derived from its Terms of References;

• Lobby and advocate for the interest of the private sector in the policy making process at COMESA and at the national level and regional level;
• Ensure a harmonized and informed position is presented to the CBC Board for advocacy with all interests of the sectors represented;
• Ensure Increased Policy Dialogue between Public and Private Sector at the regional level;
• Ensure that the positions of Work Group are presented to the policy organs meetings for consideration;
• Ensure increased participation of the private sector membership in policy dialogue.

CBC provides demand driven services and proactive services in terms of advocacy, business linkages and membership development for SME Work group. We are working towards capacity building programs to strengthen the technical and skills capacities of SMES and facilitate their participation in COMESA regional value chains.

The Work Group is currently chaired by Mr. Richard Muteti who serves the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector in various capacities both within Kenya, East African Community and the COMESA region in general. Muteti is the founder of Small and Medium Enterprise Support, East Africa (SMES-EA) and author of the inaugural “The SME Handbook” series in Kenya.

https://comesa-smes.blogspot.com/

Kenya Hosts the 19th EAC Jua Kali/ Nguvu Kazi MSMEs Exhibition.

Close to 2000 Small Business Owners from 40 Counties and 5 East African  Partner States attend the 19th EAC Jua Kali MSMEs Exhibition in Eldoret showcasing the various products and services from SMEs and graced by H.E. Deputy President of Kenya Hon. Ruto, Cabinet Secretary for Industrialization and Trade Hon. Munya, H.E Hon. Mandago, Governor of Uasin Gishu County among other dignitaries from the EAC Partner States.

The nine (9) day event (2^nd-10^th December 2018)  was managed by Mr. Richard Muteti the Regional Project Manager of the EAC Jua Kali/ Nguvu Kazi Exhibitions and who also serves the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector in various capacities both within Kenya, East African Community and the COMESA region in general. Muteti is the founder of Small and Medium Enterprise Support, East Africa (SMES-EA) , author of the inaugural “ SME Handbook” series in Kenya and the Current Chairman of the COMESA Business Council SMEs Work-Group

Richard Muteti Chairman, COMESA Business Council SMEs Work-group and CEO, Kenya National Federation of Jua Kali Associations

Meeting the Vice Chancellor and the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Co-operative University of Kenya

Strengthening the partnerships and linkages between the Small Businesses Sector and the cooperative movement in Kenya-Myriads of opportunities to be harnessed

The Co-operative University of Kenya is a specialized university in a unique niche of the economy sustaining millions of lives in Kenya. The institution has played a key role in setting the co-operative agenda in the nation which has contributed in shaping Kenya’s economy, among the issues discussed were:

Formation of cooperatives

Training members of the MSME associations

Opportunities for incubation, innovation, commercialization of ideas and capacity building among others

MSMEs Partnership with TIVETS in Kenya

Vehicle body building skills in-house
Inspecting the manufacturing of bodies for passenger-carrying vehicles by the Jua Kali sector at Kariobangi
our partnership with the TVETs will benefit through recognition of members prior and on the job learning outcomes through certification of their hard-earned competencies

Richard N. Muteti, HSC

Chief Executive, Kenya National Federation of Jua Kali Associations;

Chairman, COMESA Business Council SMEs Workgroup

The African Union Commission begins the process of validating SME Strategy and Master Plan 2017-2021

Nairobi, Kenya – 10 October 2016. The African Union Commission (AUC) began today the process of validating the Small Medium Enterprise (SME) Strategy and Master Plan 2017-2021 during a two-day workshop in Nairobi, Kenya. The objective of the initiative is to develop an African Union strategic framework which will support the implementation of the Accelerated Industrial Development of Africa (AIDA) and Africa’s sustainable economic transformation under Agenda 2063. The workshop was attended by the Senior Industry Officers from the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the Private Sector and Development Partners. AUC and UNECA officials co-chaired the working sessions

The SME Strategy and Master Plan 2017-2021 aims, among others, at improving the continental business environment, increasing business formation, supporting formalization of growth-oriented informal enterprises and startups, increasing SME/Is, MSMEs and entrepreneurs’ participation in regional and global value chains and promoting innovative financing.

Mrs. Treasure Thembisile Maphanga, Director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) of the African Union Commission, commended participants for their continuous commitment in supporting the Department of Trade and Industry to contribute to the sustainable structural transformation of the continent through Industrialization. She praised RECs and Experts from various institutions including the European Union, JICA, Traidlinks, UNCTAD, UNECA and Canadian Government who worked closely with the Commission during the last few months by providing comments and inputs in order to enrich the draft SME Strategy and Master Plan. The Director pointed out that Industrialization has recently become a high priority for more countries and more cooperating partners. She echoed the tragedy that migrants are going through while trying to join Europe and the high rate of youth’s unemployment. According to her, the continent’s industrialization appears to be the winning strategy that will accelerate job creation and poverty alleviation for the coming years in addition to support the continent’s sustainable structural transformation.

Mrs. Maphanga referred to some key statistics about the youth population in Africa to highlight the importance of taking advantage of its full potential. “In 2015, 226 million youth aged 15-24 lived in Africa, accounting for 19 per cent of the global youth population.  By 2030, it is projected that the number of youth in Africa will have increased by 42 per cent. Africa’s youth population is expected to continue to grow throughout the remainder of the 21st century, more than doubling from current levels by 2055”, she emphasized. She urged the audience to deepen its reflections and support productive capacities while discussing the issue of youth and start-ups. To harness the youth’s demographic dividend, which is the 2017 theme of the African Union, the Director for Trade and Industry indicated that research has identified some policy actions related to SME Development as key levers. “According to the findings, economic reforms to create more quality jobs with multiplier effects, enhance innovation and productivity of the informal sector and support graduation from small to medium sized enterprises, as well as transformative education to focus on innovation, skills development, science and technology and entrepreneurship are winning strategies”, she underscored.

The SME Strategy and Master Plan identifies initiatives that should be undertaken in the next five years that are aimed at unleashing the potential of SME/Is and MSMEs - the drivers of African economies’ growth to create employment, reduce poverty and promote by ensuring that women, young people and underserved populations, including those in rural areas, benefit from economic growth.

The EABC was represented by Mr. Richard Muteti theb SME focal point

UGANDA HELD THE 17TH EAC REGIONAL JUA KALI SMEs EXHIBITION IN KAMPALA, UGANDA

The East African community Jua Kali / Nguvu Kazi exhibition was started in 1999 at Arusha in Tanzania during the signing of the treaty that established the East African Community .It is  a yearly rotational initiative started by the East African community Secretariat In collaboration with the EAC Partner States through the East African Confederation of Informal Sector Organizations (EA-CISO) . the regional exhibition acts as a platform for carrying out marketing initiatives for the Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) products and services which has been branded “JUA KALI /NGUVU KAZI”. This exhibition was the 17^th since its inception

After  the inauguration  of the first regional exhibition  in Arusha (1999), subsequent  exhibitions have been held in Nairobi (2000 and 2001), Kampala (2002), Dar es Salaam (2003) Mombasa (2004), Kampala (2005), Dar es Salaam (2006) ,Nairobi (2007), Kigali (2008), Dar es Salaam (2009), Kampala (2011), Bujumbura (2012), Nairobi (2013) , Kigali (2014), Dar es Salaam (2015) and the 17^th Exhibition in Kampala  in 2016. The exhibition exposes the MSEs to the vast Regional market of over  140 million people and acts as  a platform  availing the Micro and Small Entrepreneurs of East African Region new market for their products and bridging-up the technological gaps between them .

The 17^th EAC Jua Kali/ Nguvu Kazi exhibition was managed by Mr. Richard Muteti Chairman of the COMESA Business Council SMEs Workgroup and also the Regional Project Manager  for the regional initiative and  was held at UMA Grounds Exhibition  Grounds in Kampala, Uganda between  5TH December to 11th  DECEMBER, 2016

East African Legislative Assembly Members from Kenya meets the EAC MSE leaders from Kenyan and the MSE Authority

High level meeting held today between the Kenyan Members of Parliament from the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), Micro and Small enterprises Authority (MSEA) and  EAC Regional MSE leaders from Kenya

The meeting held on 21^st April 2016 at the MSEA headquarters discussed the following;

The current status of the MSE and the MSE ecosystem in Kenya presented by the CEO of MSEA Mr. Patrick Mwangi

A brief on the MSE regional harmonization and cross border trade within the East African Region presented by Mr. Richard Muteti, CEO of Kenya National federation of Jua Kali Associations and current Regional Project Manager of the EAC Jua Kali/ Nguvu Kazi Exhibitions

The role of EAC on MSEs

The meeting come up with several recommendations and agreed on a number of ways to promote and develop the small businesses sector both in Kenya and the EAC region