Discussion Brief for the Export Strategy-Maker
Burkina Faso: Is your trade support network working ?
Issa Benjamin Baguian,
Director of the Trade Point of Burkina Faso
The
network
The network for trade
support in Burkina Faso is the following: The national Office For
Foreign Trade, the Chamber of Commerce, the Shipping Company, and the
One Stop Office. Each of these institutions has a specific mission.
The national Office For Foreign Trade is in charge of export
promotion, the One Stop Office is in charge of administrative
formalities, the Shipping Company in charge of transport issues, and
the Chamber of Commerce in charge of defending the business community’s
interests. They are all providing services that correspond to their
missions.
These services are
varied: trade information delivery, market surveys, training in
international trade, foreign market access, international trade-fair
participation, assistance in administrative formalities in various
fields (exports, imports, creation of companies, quality management
and promotion, etc.). In our view, the exporters are the most
appropriate people to say whether the network set up to support their
activities is working or not.
To work in close
relationship with exporters, we need to organize them. Therefore, we
have created the National Federation of the Exporters of Burkina Faso,
recognized under the name of FE.NE.B. This Federation includes all the
exporters from the various export sectors. They are represented in our
Council of Administration where all important decisions regarding
export promotion strategies are taken. Through their presence in the
institutions of our trade support network, they participate in the
implementation of the programme set up for the promotion of exports
from Burkina Faso.
This is an innovation
in our effort to improve services for our business community, i.e
direct involvement within the network.
The other important
element is that, within the framework of the globalization of trade,
we have adapted to the demands of the new technologies of information
and communication by setting up a Trade Point (ONAC) despite a
general lack of finance. The Trade Point has been set up in
collaboration with the exporters who, through their organizations,
were involved in developing the national website, by supplying ONAC
not only with the necessary information, but also by taking part
directly in the meetings for the establishment of the Trade Point. The
keywords here were participative method.
By using thismethod
we are not only taking exporters’ needs into account but also
ensuring that they can adapt the trade support network to their needs.
We have discovered that with their involvement in setting up the
network, exporters have a knowledge of services they can benefit from
– and therefore promote the network by themselves. In a word, the
trade support network is what they want it to be.
Since the creation of
the Trade Point we have noticed a big increase in the use of our
services by the business community. They visiting our office for trade
information, trade opportunities, asking for advice etc. on a daily
basis, which was not the case before.
As an example of the
success of the Trade Point, handicraft exporters have already done
good business with an American company which, by visiting the website (http://www.tradepoint.bf),
was attracted to the products shown and decided to fly to Burkina Faso
to buy handicrafts. The company contacted our trade point and, within
three days, a small exhibition of samples was organized. It enabled
the buyer to select the items (musical instruments, masks, bronze,
bogolan wrap-around skirts etc.) and to complete its order. The
exhibitors got a test order worth of 35 million CFA with a possibility
of establishing permanent contract with the company. This success made
a tremendous impact. It is driving other exporters to us.
The success was due to
the fact that the exporters provided the right, attractive and updated
pictures for the website. One handicraft producer commented:
"This is an unexpected miracle. It gives me faith that ONAC is
able to help us promote our products. Personally, I did not have the
means to go to Texas for a trade fair or trade mission. With the Trade
Point, I feel that I am on the American market. I have the feeling
that I can export like other people. This small exhibition gave me
more confidence in what I have been doing and I hope that ONAC will
continue to support us."
Another aspect in which
the network is working is training. In addition to the organization of
seminars and workshops on international trade techniques and
practices, ONAC has set up a commercial and economic English course
for exporters and importers. By teaching the business community
Business English we make them more and more independent of our
institution. After completing the course, they are able to talk with
their customers, write letters, fax by themselves without assistance,
and to travel abroad without hiring the services of an interpreter or
a translator. With the business community able to use English, we now
have time to develop other services for trade promotion.
In globalization the
quality of products has become very important. A Direction of
Standardization and Quality Promotion (FASONORM) has been created with
the assistance of UNIDO and has held several training seminars and
workshops. Numerous companies are asking the departments to assist
them in quality issues.
Last but not least,
ONAC is involved in trade promotion, for example by creating the
International Arts and Crafts Show of Ouagadougou ( SIAO). This
originates in "Artisanat 84" (Handicrafts 84). The show is
now an independent institution organizing a fair every two years.
For some years, we
worked without involving exporters. The results were not satisfactory,
because we were giving the business community only what we thought was
good for them. Since they have been involved in planning, we notice an
improvement in our services. International bodies such as ITC and
UNCTAD have been the engine for our progress through the JITAP
Programme that enables ONAC’s staff to carry out surveys, attend
training courses and take part in conferences on trade promotion. They
have also helped ONAC to acquire useful equipments such as computers,
renew the trade library, and establish a connection to the Internet.
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Posted
18 August 2010