On World SME Day, World Association for Small and Medium Enterprises (WASME) organised a Round Table Discussion on ‘Enabling SMEs Growth in Present Time’ on 27th June, 2022 at WASME International Secretariat, Noida.
The discussion began with a welcome address by Dr.SanjivLayek, Executive Director, WASME. He thanked all the dignitaries and all international and national participants and briefed them about global initiatives in the field of SME support and development undertaken by WASME.
Mr. S M Zillur Rahman VP WASME, Bangladesh shared World SMEs past challenges and their potential for growth by pointing the contributions made by WASME. He informed the panel about the difficulties faced by Bangladesh SMEs with respect to the to access the finance. He mentioned that the banking sector where the sanctioning of loans is a meticulous and a tedious procedures are the main deterrent where SMEs are not able to take advantages in comparison to large enterprises and corporates. He also stated that WASME Bangladesh Chapter has been working diligently to provide such SMEs with the financial boosts that they need.
Mr Dumisani J Msibi, VP-WASME, Africa and Group Managing Director, FINCORP began with statement that if there is any continent that needs attention more than any other continent, it is Africa solely because of its young population and rampant unemployment. He further emphasised that if the opportunities needed to be given to the African youth gets taken away, it may cause them to implode morally which would be quite critical for the whole economy. Mr Msibi then went to explain how FINCORP is trying to fund these financial gaps for the last 26 years and how WASME is supporting SMEs in Africa.
Mr RajendraMalla, VP-WASME, Nepal, shed some light over the topic of natural disasters in Nepal and he remarked that SMEs are quite significant in Nepal for employment generation amongst the poor, he further emphasised on the fact that how MSMEs are the backbone of any developed/developing economy where especially in Nepal 60-70% jobs are created by SMEs and 50% of exports are being supported by them as well. He also praised the resilient spirit of SMEs and entrepreneurs that stood up in the face of natural disaster. Lastly he asserted that WASME and Nepal Chamber of Commerce are committed to support SMEs.
Mr Sushil Agarwal Senior Advisor, WASME. He informed participants that how the information about schemes and subsidies provided by the govt doesn’t reach the everyone because of the information gap/ disparity created by the capitalist conglomerates and there is urgent need to address that.
Ms Arundhuti Mukherjee, Senior advisor, WASME elaborated on the necessity of digital literacy among SMEs in time of digital revolution. She also gives instances about the SMEs who transformed fully, for the better, in the last two years by solely having a digital transformation amongst their regime. She further urged the SMEs to actively be a part of this digitalization by joining hands with the WASME Amazon Digitization Programme.
Hon’ President K C Jankee, WASME, who unfortunately couldn’t join the meeting due to some last minute travel arrangements nevertheless shared brief video message virtually and wished the global SME Community on World SME Day and also reaffirmed WASME’s commitment for the sustainable development of SMEs globally
Ms. Sampa Banerjee, Executive Director, WASME, apprised the participants about two significant upcoming events including GlobalSpin Trade Conclave on Export Promotion of Handlooms, Handicrafts and Technical Textiles from 13th– 14th September 2022 at KalaivanarArangam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. And 26th WASME International Conference of SMEs (ICSME) in Johannesburg, South Africa from 30Nov – 2 Dec 2022. She invited everyone to attend the conference.
The discussion concluded by Vote of Thanks shared by Mr I D Narayan, Vice President WASME. He thanked all the dignitaries and participants to come forward to celebrate World SME Day!