ITC and SIECA sign MOU to connect Central American women to markets through virtual B2B meetings
(Geneva) – Women entrepreneurs from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama stand to benefit from new business relationships thanks to a partnership between the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA).
The two partners announced that they would be stepping up collaboration to empower women entrepreneurs in Central America following a meeting with between ITC acting Executive Director Dorothy Tembo and SIECA Secretary-General Melvin Enrique Redondo.
The partnership will take full advantage of SIECA’s unique online platform, the Red Centromaericana de Comercio (RCAC), which helps connect businesses with businesses (B2B) and consumers (B2C) in the region and globally. Combining the platform with ITC’s experience in market development, will help women entrepreneurs in Central America to promote their products beyond domestic markets, but also to find new sources of supply.
Commenting on the partnership, Ms. Tembo said: ‘ITC is very pleased to continue our long-standing collaboration with SIECA to empower women in trade in Central America. Ensuring greater participation of women in trade is key for Central American countries to grow their economies and e-commerce provides an opportunity to strengthen this effort.’
The initiative is part of the European Union-funded project – Linking Central American Women-Owned Businesses with the Global Gifts and Home Decoration Market – which is implemented by ITC in collaboration with SIECA and local partner institutions. The initiative sets out to improve product design and the export capability of women-led businesses, and is placing significant focus on using new e-commerce channels to open new business opportunities through.
ITC has a long-standing cooperation with SIECA for interventions in Central America. In 2017 ITC and SIECA signed a General Purpose Memorandum to promote intra-regional trade and women’s empowerment in Central America. ITC and SIECA plan to expand their cooperation to tackle other pressing challenges such as migration in Central America.
About ITC - The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
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International Trade Centre
Jarle Hetland, Media Officer
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