On 21 March, GPA Director Patrick Gibbels, on behalf of ESBA joined CEA-PME and a number of other European SME associations in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with our Sub-Saharan African counterparts.
The event took place in the Committee of the Regions building in Brussels and was very well attended, both in numbers and in the high level of attendees.
It is of crucial importance that Africa increases its focus on SMEs and realizes the vast potential of these companies in relation to its growth and development. It is therefore important to emulate the European Better Regulation Agenda, which aims to relax the regulatory framework for SMEs as much as possible, in order for them to easily enter the market and subsequently grow, provide jobs and contribute to the GDP. It is also necessary to increase investments to improve the overall access to finance for African SMEs, to improve the energy situation, as most SMEs rely on electricity and to educate entrepreneurs on setting up and running a business.
ESBA looks forward to maintaining a dialogue with its African counterparts, to benefit SMEs both in Africa and in the EU
