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Title: SA, UN sign agreement to establish business incubators
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Pretoria - The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) and the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have agreed to cooperate in
broadening participation in the promotion of incubation and
establishment of business incubators.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed in Pretoria on Monday, according to the department.
It said the parties had also agreed to cooperate in women economic
empowerment by promoting inclusive financing for women; a supplier
development programme focusing on the promotion and cooperatives;
special economic zones and economic infrastructure.
The department's Deputy Director General, Sipho Zikode, said the vast
experience and knowledge that the UNDP brings in these areas will
significantly assist South Africa. He added that South Africa has been
in the process of strengthening its Small Medium Micro Enterprise (SMME)
sector.
"We have a world class incubation system that still needs to be
improved. It delights me knowing that we will be drawing guidance and
expertise from the experience of the UNDP's global network of offices
and experts to provide support in the areas of cooperation covered in
this MOU," he said.
Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, said government was in
the throes of implementing various interventions to ensure that small
enterprises and big businesses have a symbiotic relationship that will
boost the development and growth of the country's SMME sector.
In September this year, Davies launched the Incubation Support
Programme. According to the department, the programme aims to develop
enterprises that will absorb and upgrade the vast unskilled labour
force, develop new technologies and strengthen the country's economy,
said the department.
This initiative is intended to encourage private sector partnerships
with government to foster collaboration between small and big
businesses; whereby big businesses assist SMMEs with skills and
technology transfer; supplier development and creating marketing
opportunities for SMMEs.
UNDP Resident Representative and United Nations Resident Coordinator,
Dr. Agostinho Zacarias thanked the department for its perseverance and
persistence in pursuit of the MOU.
"Hopefully sooner rather than later we will begin to reap the rewards of
this union. Both the dti and the UNDP would need to upscale existent
incubators in the country and we would need also to formulate a
comprehensive strategy to guarantee the success of this initiative," he
said. - SAnews.gov.za
Reported by: South African Government News Service
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