Model Program for Integrated Assistance to Small and Medium Enterprise in Guinea
Project / Programme Summary

Sector(s):	SME Business establishment
Donor country / organization:	UNDP
Other donors / organizations involved:	Government of Morocco, UNICEF, ILO, EU
Beneficiary countries / regions:	Guinea-similar projects under implementation in Burkina Faso, Mali and other Sahelian countries and will be expanded in East and South Africa.
Implementing agencies in beneficiary countries / regions:	Ministry of Industry, of Commerce and of Crafts
Duration:	3 years and 8 months (until end December 1997)
Starting Date:	3 April 1993
Project / Program budget:	US$ 2,750,070
Finance / Type of cooperation:	technical cooperation

Promote the creation and development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Guinea.

Objectives
To launch businesses and to generate employment.
Activities / contents
Provision of financial, technological and human resource development to building up or starting a business. Streamlining credit lines, service capacities of staff, strengthening support measures for women entrepreneurs, linkages established with related development programmes.
Expected outcomes / impacts

106 projects were financed including 38 under the first phase, with a total capital investment of about US$ 2.5 million mobilized, some 65 enterprises received integrated support from funds mobilized through UNICEF, ILO, EU using the same support mechanism
Some 1,340 jobs were created in multiple sectors (garment making, metalworking, food processing and services)
44 per cent of mobilized credit funds covered Conakry, with the rest spread out in the provinces
A database of entrepreneurs and their projects was set up: more than 100 additional jobs are under review
27 per cent of the beneficiaries are women
The loan recovery rate of the UNDP revolving fund as at end 1997 was 80.22 percent, and an intensified loan recovery programme is ongoing
Support measures assistance to enterprises were undertaken
Cooperation was established with the EU's project on subcontracting linkages between SMEs and large mining companies; with ILO/AGFRIS on self-employment for handicapped persons and with UNICEF on income generating activities for women
Staff of the Micro-Enterprises Unit has gained skills to provide services to SMEs

Features in line with the Agenda for Action
The project is designed to promote entrepreneurship, create employment and the advancement of women in the entrepreneurship development.

Ms. L. Van Oyen, IPC/PSD

(End)