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3/5/24, 10:06 AM New report on SME participation in global trade launched during MC13 in Abu Dhabi | Emirates News Agency
SMEs”, was authored by the Emirates Center for

Strategic Studies and Research in collaboration with the

UAE Ministry of Economy. It outlines the challenges

faced by SMEs in accessing global supply chains and

offers a series of policies and programs that

governments around the world can introduce to

overcome them.

According to the report, one of the principal obstacles to

SME participation in global trade is finance. SMEs in

developing nations face a combined funding gap in

excess of US$5.2 trillion annually, a problem that is even

more acute for women-owned businesses. The report

also noted that many SMEs are part of the informal

economy and lack access to technology, logistics,

certification programs and skilled job seekers.

Considering formal SMEs account for 40% of national

income and generate around seven out of 10 jobs,

addressing these challenges could drive tangible growth

and job creation.

To tackle these and other challenges faced by SMEs, the

report puts forward three proposals:

Firstly, to close the SME financing gap through a global

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