IFC and World Bank Partner to Support Business Skills Training in Mozambique
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, announced today it has signed an agreement with the Unidade de Implementação do Projecto de Apoio a Competitividade (PACDE), to expand access to IFC’s Business Edge and SME Toolkit training tools in Mozambique, supporting the growth of smaller businesses in the country through business and management training.
The two-year agreement between IFC and PACDE, a program sponsored by the World Bank and Mozambique’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce, will allow the suppliers, staff, distributors, and clients of businesses to access world-class management training.
Babatunde Onitiri, IFC Country Manager for Mozambique, said, “This partnership will expand the use of the SME Toolkit and Business Edge solutions in Mozambique, supporting the growth of smaller businesses in the country. Supporting smaller businesses is a major focus of IFC’s work in Africa and a stronger SME business sector in Mozambique will help create employment and strengthen the economy.”
Business Edge is IFC’s range of practical and flexible management training solutions, specially designed to improve the performance of small and medium firms and middle management of corporate firms. It is delivered by local, certified trainers. The SME Toolkit is an online, interactive program that uses the latest information and communication technologies to help smaller businesses in emerging markets learn sustainable management practices.
Business Edge and SME Toolkit were launched in Mozambique in 2010. Since then, 41 trainers have been certified, and 11 Business Edge partners and one SME Toolkit partner have been licensed. Almost 32,000 people have visited the SME toolkit website in Mozambique (www.pmenegocios.co.mz).
IFC has recently signed partnerships with five consulting and training firms in Mozambique to bring the number of Business Edge suppliers in Mozambique from seven to eleven. The five are: Megaformar, MB Consulting, Ernst & Young, ELIM Serviços, and Bassela Consultória e Serviços. IFC’s six other partners are: Escola Superior de Negócios e Empreendedorismo de Chibuto (ESNEC/UEM), Sociedade de Investimentos (GAPI) , EUROSIS - Consultoria e Formação em Gestão, PROCESS - Consultoria e Formação, International Capital Corporation (ICC) and BKSC..
IFC will work closely with its Business Edge partners and with Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (an SME Toolkit Partner) to help organize educational events, identify training needs, customize content, manage training activities and coaching, ensure the quality of the training, and evaluate its impact.
The PACDE Project was launched in 2010 to improve the business environment and enhance enterprise competitiveness in Mozambique by reducing the cost of doing business in the country; building technical capacity at public sector agencies, strengthening the ability of local intermediaries to enable them to deliver business services to SME’s; and developing region specific interventions in the tourism and horticulture sectors.
This article was originally posted on Sustainable Development Africa Platform
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