Africa

New SME supporting platform underway

Emnet Assefa

DHL, global express operator announced a business platform that it said will assist local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to penetrate the global market. The company made the announcement in Addis Ababa on 18th April during a national Micro and Small Enterprise business forum co-organized by AXIOS Business Services Pvt. Ltd. Co.

Charles Brewer, CEO of the DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, said that the new platform “Ethiopian SMEs-tailored DHL Family” aims to help local SMEs in finding ways of moving their products to the global market through the express operator.

Brewer also indicated that through the Platform local SMEs will have business funding and knowledge supports in order to get them connected to the market with the rest of the world. The Company, after having a long time operation in the Sub-Saharan Africa, says it has further expansion plans coming up in the future.

“We are trying to partner with local banks and financial service providers, SMEs and government offices to help the SMEs and ourselves come closer in order to have the SMEs see their potentials in the global market,” said Brewer, indicating that there were knowledge and funding gaps to fill between SMEs and the global market.

The business platform is a trial project in Ethiopia which is expected to be launched soon to other sub-Saharan African countries depending on its performance in Ethiopia. It also hopes to provide business trainings for local SMEs aimed at motivating them to work towards the global market.

Currently there are close to 500, 000 SMEs in Ethiopia operating on various productions ranging from handicraft, leather and textile. In South Africa SMEs generate more than 55% of all jobs and 22% of the country’s GDP. The figure is more or less similar to other developing countries.

DHL, which started out as SME itself, is now a leading business in its expertise in international express, air and ocean freight, road and rail transportation, contract logistics and international mail services. AXIOS Business Services Pvt. Ltd. Co is a private company that organizes open coaching sessions, networking events and trainings on various business related issues to give “transformational experiences for thousands of business leaders in the country.”

DHL Photo AXIOS Business Services Pvt. Ltd. Co

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