The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Tunisian Ministry of Trade announced, on Monday in Tunis, the official launch of the “Advice for Small Business” program which aims to provide direct support and guidance to Tunisian SMEs operating in the service sector.
With a budget of EUR 10 million, the initiative is part of the program to support the competitiveness of services (PACS), led by the Ministry of Trade and funded by the European Union (EU) to the tune of EUR 20 million.
PACS (2015/2018) focuses its intervention on the sectors of transport, logistics, ICT and professional services, besides tourism and handicrafts.
EBRD will conduct as part of the “Advice for Small Business” program advice and technical assistance actions in the areas of strategy, management of human resources as well as in information and quality systems and increasing export, Director at the Ministry of Trade responsible for PACS Lamia Abroug told TAP.
As part of the same program (PACS), 475 Tunisian companies, of which 80 run by women, have been selected on the basis of several criteria, related, in particular, to the period of activity (at least two years of activity), shareholding and capital that must be majority owned by Tunisians.
The program focuses its intervention around three axes: institutional support to the development and competitiveness of the services sector, improvement of quality, safety of health services and support to SMEs operating in the services sector.
