SAC International

This project involved development of national SME programs including: policy advice to government, establishment of a new organisation (BDA-PIU) to sub-contract both donor programs and programs from the Kazakhstan Agency for Small Business Development.

The project developed the SME sector to create significant employment opportunities, stimulate import substitution and export growth. In particular the project provided policy development for the Government of Kazakhstan, established a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) and provided support to sectoral development of SMEs in the regions.

Key elements of the project were:

• Provision of support and advice to the Agency for Anti-Monopoly, Competition and Small Business Support

• Establishment of the PIU to design and deliver SME development actions via local NGOs and consulting/training organisations

• Implementation of pilot development programmes, sub-contracted to agencies in the regions, covering business start-ups, sectoral development and institutional capacity building

• Streamlining and enhancement of Aktyubinsk SMEDA by negotiation and management of contracts to build their institutional independence and sustainability

• Provision of special training in business planning and financial access for target groups, eg food processing, mining, oil and gas sub-contractors

• Delivery of business start-up courses in industrial cities with high unemployment

• Training and professional development of all PIU local staff to enable them to operate without foreign assistance and to form NGOs with broad local support