CBI and ITC create a greater impact on export value chains
CBI and the International Trade Centre (ITC) have a long history of collaboration. CBI and ITC collaborate in a series of 4-year programmes titled the Netherlands Trust Fund (NTF). The NTF is currently in its fourth phase of operation: NTF IV.
Improve the export competitiveness
The objective of NTF IV is to enhance the export competitiveness of specific sectors in selected countries. An integrated approach improves sector competitiveness and is focused on the generation of export revenues. There are four secondary outcomes:
- to improve the capacity of trade & investment support institutions;
- to generate a validated plan for sector and enterprise development;
- to achieve a sustainable increase in the export capacity of SMEs;
- to intensify business networks and connections.
CBI and ITC have identified four country/sector combinations. These combinations are based on jointly-determined selection criteria like country requests, market demand and priorities of CBI, ITC and the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
CBI used the outcomes of the ITC’s Value Chain Analyses and defined interventions, resulting in a series of parallel projects:
Cocoa in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea
The CBI parallel project in Sierra Leone and Liberia consists of a Business Export Coaching project for several selected cocoa companies and producer cooperatives. The project provides support to 7 participants in Sierra Leone, and 10 in Liberia.
The project focuses on capacity building around the exportation of cocoa products to the European market, such as training and coaching on corporate social responsibility.
In December 2019, CBI organised an excursion to Ghana where project participants learned from the cocoa experience in Ghana and participated in the export marketing plan training. In February 2020, CBI will organise a market orientation mission to Europe, including visits to Salon du Chocolat in Brussels and Chocoa in Amsterdam.
CBI will also develop a parallel project in Guinea when the value chain analysis has been finalised.
IT and IT-enabled services in Uganda and Senegal
In Uganda, the CBI parallel project provides direct technical support to 6 companies, with the objectives of growing exports and stimulating employment opportunities. In Senegal, the project assists 7 participating companies. For companies from both countries, CBI’s expert coaching focusses on facilitating market entry in the European marketplace.
Improvement of the overall image of the Ugandan and Senegalese IT sectors will help IT-related companies to access foreign markets. In Uganda, the project partners are currently developing a roadmap for value proposition. This proposition can promote the entire sector in Europe.
Improved access to services can lead to improved access to the market and growth in revenue. CBI expects each participating company to develop and implement one new service aimed at exporting IT-companies.
Community-based tourism in Myanmar
In Myanmar, the CBI parallel project Enchanting Myanmar focuses on the establishment and roll-out of community-based tourism that leads to greater social and cultural insights for visitors to the region. The goal is to increase awareness and buy-in to conservation measures established to protect cultural heritage. The objectives are to grow exports and to stimulate employment opportunities through the development of niche markets.
CBI’s export coaching focusses on helping these companies to find their niche. They will be able to create a differentiated offering to enter the European marketplace and to reduce competition in a crowded local tourism market. By helping the tour companies with their online presence and digital marketing techniques, CBI helped participating companies to find new markets in Europe.
