WASHINGTON - The countries of the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity (the Partnership) today convened virtually for a Best Practices exchange on programs for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the region. The event was organized through the Partnership's Inclusive Trade and SME Committee, convened by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Small Business Administration, which was established by Trade Ministers to develop activities to promote greater access to the benefits of trade for SMEs and underserved communities.

Partnership countries each prepared an Americas Partnership SME Inclusive Trade Inventory, consisting of self-reported existing SME export programs and resources in each Partnership country that support its SME exporters, including programs which assist micro-, women-led, minority-led and Indigenous-led SMEs and other SMEs led by those from historically underrepresented and underserved communities. These included information on SME export information resources, SME export counseling, small business centers, women's business centers, minority business centers, entrepreneurial programs, rural outreach programs, trade promotion programs, trade missions, business-to-business export matchmaking services, and SME export financing.

Background

The Americas Partnership countries are the United States, Barbados, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Uruguay. Trade Ministers of Partnership countries met in Quito, Ecuador on August 1, 2024, and held a government-to-government Best Practices Exchange highlighting countries respective programs. The joint statement from that ministerial meeting can be found here.

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