Mission to the U.S. seeks to strengthen support model for small and medium-sized businesses in Paraguay

Asuncion, IP Agency.- A Paraguayan delegation began a special mission in the United States, with the aim of supporting and strengthening the Mipymes ecosystem of Paraguay, following the model of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The visit will be until July 12.

During the visit, the delegation plans to meet with members of the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), representatives of the Organization of American States and members of the United States Chamber of Commerce.

The delegation is headed by the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Javier Gímenez, the Minister of Labor, Employment and Social Security, Mónica Recalde, and the Technical Secretary of the National System of Vocational Training and Capacity Building (Sinafocal), Alfredo Mongelós.

Also attending are members of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the House Committee on Small Business, and members of the Small Business Administration (SBA), among other institutions.

There are currently 278 SBDC Centers installed in 24 countries around the world, including Paraguay, generating more than 6,000 companies and 23,000 jobs through their operation, as well as increasing sales and formalizing the assisted companies.

Currently, there are three Business Development Centers operating in Paraguay thanks to the support of USAID and TaiwanICDF partners. The SBDCs are located in Central, Itapúa and Alto Paraná, with plans to expand to other departments, so that national MSMEs can have greater access to these centers, which provide support and technical assistance.

It is worth mentioning that the creation of these SBDC Development Centers seeks to develop the capacity of the Government of Paraguay to promote a new model of support for the development of small businesses.

The Paraguayan delegation also includes technicians from the Vice Ministry of MSMEs, Senator Luis Pettengill, and Deputies Héctor Figueredo and Jorge Barresi. Also participating are the Director of the SNPP (National Service for Professional Promotion), José Coggliolo, the President of Agricultural Credit, Amanda León, the Minister of Conacyt, Benjamín Barán, the President of the AFD, Stella Guillén, representatives of the MSMEs association and the financial sector.