introduction

SELA is organizing the Seminar on Prospects for internationalization of SMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean, in collaboration with ProColombia (an entity responsible for promoting tourism, foreign investment, non-mining/energy exports, and brand country) of the Republic of Colombia. The purpose of this Seminar is to analyze and outline the visible horizon of SMEs in terms of their internationalization and export possibilities, with a view to generating proposals in order to achieve a better positioning of small and medium-sized companies in international markets.

Background

Multiple small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) emerge in Latin America and the Caribbean year after year. Currently, 99% of SMEs are the employers of 47% of the labour force in the region. These companies represent 90% of the regional business fabric, accounting for 28% of the GDP. Sadly, many SMEs cease to exist, and only 45% survives after a couple of years. The luckiest ones come to a standstill after four years. Such situation is due to traditional limitations to the development of SMEs which include, among others: i) severe troubles to access financing sources; ii) poor training of staff, and iii) lack of access to technology.

Small and medium-sized enterprises that manage to overcome these hurdles still face a somewhat unsurmountable challenge, that is, to display their export potential and become competitive enough to find a niche in international markets, as the only assurance to grow beyond domestic borders. In other words, they are required to turn into exporting small and medium-sized enterprises (EXSMEs[1]). To that end, they need to fit into regional and global value chains (GVC).

The internationalization of SMEs is a key component to spur production diversification, which is pivotal for the economic progress of countries. As for Latin America and the Caribbean, development ought to be rather balanced, provided that the region counts on a diversified export sector through the significant involvement of SMEs. Such is one of the most important challenges in the region, and therefore an appropriate set of regulations is of the essence to lever the internationalization process of SMEs and thus strengthen their export capacity.

In 2019, the Permanent Secretariat, under the SELA-SMEs Programme, prepares to hold the “Seminar: Prospects for internationalization of SMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean,” which aims to review and scan a visible horizon for SMEs regarding their internationalization and export possibilities, and bring forward proposals for a better positioning of small and medium-sized enterprises in the global markets.



[1] Definition provided in: Urmeneta, Roberto (2016). Dinámica de las empresas exportadoras en América Latina: el aporte de las PYMES. Santiago, ECLAC. p. 7.

Objectives
  1. Analyze the public policies developed in Latin America and the Caribbean and Spain to promote the internationalization of SMEs;
  2. Gain knowledge about the accompaniment and advice initiatives of public and private entities to support SMEs in their internationalization process.
  3. Implement working methodologies to develop the export potential of SMEs in LAC, with a view to their inclusion into international markets; and
  4. Identify and systematize the best practices and most successful experiences in the internationalization efforts of SMEs, with a view to their dissemination and eventual adoption.
Agenda

Thursday 21 November 2019

Morning

 

8:30 – 9:00

REGISTRATION

9:00 – 9:20

OPENING SESSION
 
  • Ambassador Oscar Hernández  (Spanish), Director of Relations for Integration and Cooperation. Permanent Secretariat of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA)
  • Sandra Acero. Director for MSMEs, Vice-Minister for Business Development of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism
  • Fernando Antonio Grillo Rubiano. Director of the Administrative Department of the Civil Service of Colombia
09:20 – 09:30

OFFICIAL PHOTO

09:30-10:55

SESSION I. FINANCING AND ACCESS TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CREDIT FOR THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF SMEs IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

 

Moderator: Ambassador Oscar Hernández. Director of Relations for Integration and Cooperation of SELA

  • Álvaro Concha. Especialista Senior. División de Conectividad, Mercados y Finanzas. Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID). Financing and access to credit for SMEs (Spanish)
  • Miguel Arango. Especialista Senior de la Dirección de Desarrollo Productivo y Financiero.  CAF- banco de desarrollo de América Latina 
  • Iván Gutiérrez Aguirre. Director Ejecutivo de la Red Centroamericana y del Caribe de Microfinanzas (REDCAMIF).  REDCAMIF: positive actions for SMEs  (Spanish)
  • Alfonso Carreño Correa. Director de Microfinanzas y Jefe de la Oficina de Bancos corresponsales y comercio exterior del Banco de Comercio Exterior de Colombia (BANCOLDEX).  Foreign Trade Bank of Colombia (BANCOLDEX)  (Spanish)
 

This session aims to create a common space for the exchange of ideas and initiatives concerning the design of financing schemes, aimed at generating successful practices of financial inclusion that consider the needs of SMEs. This requires a regulatory and institutional framework and financing opportunities that result in the financial inclusion of small and medium-sized enterprises. Financial education strategies for SMEs will also be addressed, including those that tackle delinquencies and bankruptcies. This session will also aim to show the impact of SMEs on the expansion of financial inclusion and their contribution to access to financial services.

Each participant will have 10 to 15 minutes for presentation

10:55 – 11:10

COFFEE BREAK  

11:10 – 11:30

GENERAL DEBATE (QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS) 

11:30 – 12:30

SESSION II. PUBLIC POLICIES FOR THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF SMES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN: ADVICE AND ACCOMPANIMENT FOR SMES IN THE EXPORT PROCESS

 

Moderator: Andrés Castellanos. Manager of Agri-Food Exports ProColombia

Laura López. Director of Planning of the Ibero-American Export Network (REDIBERO). Export development (Spanish)

Yasmín Martínez. Coordinator of Productive Articulation and Value Chains of the Centre for the Promotion of Micro and Small Enterprises in Central America (CENPROMYPE). Public policies for the internationalization of MSMEs in the region. SICA (Spanish)

Anna Wiersma. Policy Analyst for Latin America and the Caribbean. OECD Global Relations Secretariat . Key findings of the OECD Policy Index for SMEs (Spanish)

Marianela Bruno Pollero. Office of Legal Affairs. International Trade Law Division. United Nations. UNCITRAL. Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) (Spanish)

12:15 – 12:30

GENERAL DEBATE (QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS)

12:30– 2:00

LUNCH

Afternoon

02:00 – 02:50

SESSION II. CONTINUATION

 

ModeratorShirley Gómez. Coordinator of Internationalization Projects (ProColombia) 

02:50 – 03:00

COFFEE BREAK  

03:00 – 03:45

3:45- 4:30

GENERAL DEBATE (QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS)

 

This session sets out several objectives, namely: 

  1. Identify the public policies required to support the strengthening of capacities of promotion agencies on issues related to the internationalization and innovation of SMEs;
  2. Highlight the public policy support for SMEs in understanding access and taking advantage of new markets for export purposes, having access to financing, participating in a strong labour market, and accessing a barrier-free distribution network;
  3. Establish a relationship between policies for SMEs and continuous improvements in the business environment as a support to companies with high growth potential.   

Each participant will have 10 minutes for presentation.


Friday, 22 November 2019

Morning

 

09:00 – 10:15

SESSION III: DIGITAL PLATFORMS AND TECHNOLOGIES FOR MARKET ACCESS TOWARDS THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF SMEs

 

Moderator: Catalina Hernández. Export Manager of Procolombia Fashion System

 

This session aims to highlight the challenges that SMEs face in adapting and linking each other in their transition to the digital world, noting that digital platforms and technologies are a space for innovation created to boost participation and insertion into the world of the productive sector. It is worth noting the importance of developing a virtual platform to promote trade, as well as support in developing e-commerce with the presence of digital payments and a new generation of financial services accessed through cell phones and Internet. 

It should be noted that the strategic alliances and best practices of SMEs are fundamental axes in the impact of digital transformation on everyday and productive reality. 

Each participant will have 15 minutes for presentation

10:15 – 11:00

GENERAL DEBATE (QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS)

11:00 – 11:10

COFFEE BREAK

11:15 – 12:15

SESSION IV: LOGISTICS SERVICES FOR THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF SMEs

 

ModeratorJuan Pablo Castrellón. Logistics and Competitiveness Coordinator. ProColombia 

 

This session will be focused on identifying logistics services as a relevant area of policies for SMEs, as well as the barriers they face in terms of the procedures required for the entry and departure of goods and income tax return; requirements for market access, logistics and physical distribution, cultural aspects in negotiation and marketing, leading to the identification of sectors and products with export potential.  

It will also aim to explain the implementation of international standards for customs and trade, according to the SAFE Framework of Standards (Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade); inform of the safety standards and best practices for determining compliance with procedures that provide insurance against contingencies that may threaten the shipping containers; disseminate the steps to comply with the process of validation and accreditation of the Authorized Economic Operator certification. 

Each participant will have 10 to 15 minutes for presentation.

12:15 – 12:45

GENERAL DEBATE (QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS)

12:45 – 2:00

LUNCH

Afternoon

 

2:00 – 3:00

SESSION V: INTERNATIONALIZATION FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF REGIONAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCES OF SME INTERNATIONALIZATION

 

ModeratorLiliana Barreto. Deputy Director of Future Exporters of the Vice-Presidency of Exports. ProColombia 

Panel with the participation of Colombian small and medium-sized exporting enterprises and chambers of commerce.

  • John Carlos Guzmán. Bogota Chamber of Commerce
  • Antonio Puentes, Representative of Grupo Quiromar. Uniformes Empresariales (Colombia)
  • Julián Bohorquez. Financial Manager. Distribuidora Brahman (Colombia)
  • Faron Lawrence. Executive Director. Chamber of Commerce of Saint Kitts and Nevis. CARICHAM

 

This panel is designed to make entrepreneurs the key actors of the debate. The goal is to know their opinions about:

  1. Efforts to further boost intra-regional trade and the participation of SMEs in value chains, reinforce the business fabric, create more and better companies, and take advantage of the digital revolution.
  2. Training and capacity-building courses through the exchange of experiences and best practices among them in topics such as startup creation and development, financial access, financial facilitation.
  3. Technical support in the participation of commercial events abroad.

3:00 – 3:30

GENERAL DEBATE (QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS)

03:30 – 3:45

COFFEE BREAK

03:45 – 4:00

CLOSING SESSION 

  • Representative of the Permanent Secretariat of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA)
  • Representative of ProColombia Exports, Tourism, Investment, Brand Country

 

Support documents

Final Report on the Regional Meeting on innovative mechanisms for financing and guarantees for MSMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. 19, 20 and 21 April 2017 SP/RRMNFG-MIPYMES-ALC/IF -17

Financing and guarantees to support SMEs in Central America. Pre-feasibility study on the creation of a Regional Guarantee System for SMEs in Central America. Seminar on financing and guarantees to support SMEs in Central America. San José, Costa Rica. 3 and 4 September 2015. SP/SFGA-PYMES-CEN/DT N° 2-15

Final Report on the Seminar on financing and guarantees to support SMEs in Central America. San José, Costa Rica. 3 and 4 September 2015. SP/SFGA-PYMES-CA/IF-15

Pre-feasibility study on the creation of a Regional Guarantee System for SMES in the Caribbean. Seminar on financing and guarantee systems to support SMEs in the Caribbean. Kingston, Jamaica. 15 and 16 October 2015. SP/SFGA-PYMES-C/DT N° 2-15

Final Report on the Seminar on financing and guarantee systems to support SMEs in the Caribbean.Seminar on financing and guarantee systems to support SMEs in the Caribbean. Kingston, Jamaica. 15 and 16 October 2015. SP/SFGA-PYMES-C/IF-15

Final Report on the Regional Meeting on public policies to promote and support SMEs. Cartagena, Colombia. 23 and 24 April 2015. SP/CL/XLI.O/Di Nº 21-1

Logistics

Venue and date

The Seminar “Prospects for internationalization of SMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean”, being organized with the collaboration of ProColombia Exports, Tourism, Investment, Brand Country, will be held on 21 in the Hotel Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Bogotá D.C. Carrera 7 No. 67-39, and 22 November 2019,  at the headquarters of ProColombia, located in Edificio Museo del Parque, Calle 28 # 13 A-24, 7th floor, Auditorium 1 & 2. Bogotá.

 

Languages

The official languages for the event will be Spanish and English. There will be simultaneous interpretation.

 

Hotel

Hotel bs Rosales 
Carrera 4 71 22
Bogotá, Colombia
Contact: Yolanda Páez
Telephone: +57 7561979
E-mail: recepcion@bsrosales.com

In case additional support is required, please contact at SELA:
Mrs. Cora Romero
Travels and Arrangements Official
Administration Management, Personnel and General Services
Permanent Secretariat
Telephone: +58(212) 9557111 y 9557124
Fax: +58(212) 9516901 y 9515292
E-mail: cromero@sela.org

 

Dress code

Formal attire.

 

Transportation

We recommend the taxi service provided by the hotel. 

 

Tourist information of the Republic of Colombia

http://www.colombia.travel/es/que-hacer/cultural/ciudades-capitales

Experiences in Bogotá:

https://impulsetravel.co/tour-operator/es/bogota-tours/day-trips/all-experiences

https://es.bogotapass.com/

 

Participants

Participation in this meeting is subject to the invitations issued by the co-sponsors.

This activity is aimed at governmental focal points for small and medium-sized enterprises of the Member States of SELA, representatives of international, regional and local financial institutions, representatives of trade promotion and export support agencies, and experts in the field.

Information on migration

For information on migration to enter the Republic of Colombia, visit the Web page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia.
https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/tramites_servicios/visa

Contacts

Permanent Secretariat of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), Venezuela.

Coordination by the Permanent Secretariat of SELA: 

  • Javier Gordon Ruiz
    Coordinator of Relations with Regional and Extra-Regional Organizations
    Telephones: 58-212-955-7111 / 955-7135
    E-mail: jgordon@sela.org 
  • Sayed Durán
    Analyst of Relations
    Telephones: 58-212-955-7111 / 955-7136
    E-mail: sduran@sela.org

 

ProColombia Exports, Tourism, Investment, Brand Country 

Coordination by ProColombia: 

  • Olga Lucía Pérez Garzón
    Director
    Directorate for Cooperation and Agreements
    Telephones: +57 (1) 5600 100   Ext. 20002
    E-mail: oprez@procolombia.co 
  • Mónica Vela Rentería
    Cooperation and Agreement Advisor
    Directorate for Cooperation and Agreements
    Telephones: +57 (1) 5600 100   Ext 20005
    E-mail: mvela@procolombia.co

 

Sponsoring and collaborating institutions
internationalization of SMEs