Morning

8:30 – 9:00

9:00 – 9:20

• Representative of the Permanent Secretariat of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA).
• Representative of ProColombia Exports, Tourism, Investment, Brand Country.

OFFICIAL PHOTO

SESSION I. FINANCING AND ACCESS TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CREDIT FOR THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF SMEs IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

Moderator: Ambassador Oscar Hernández. Director of Relations for Integration and Cooperation of SELA

• Representative of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
• Representative of CAF-development bank of Latin America.
• Iván Gutiérrez Aguirre, Executive Director of the Central American and Caribbean Microfinance Network (REDCAMIF).
• Hernando Castro Restrepo, Director of Microfinance. Colombian Bank of Foreign Trade (BANCOLDEX).

This session aims to create a common space for the exchange of ideas and initiatives concerning the design of financing schemes, aimed at generating successful practices of financial inclusion that consider the needs of SMEs. This requires a regulatory and institutional framework and financing opportunities that result in the financial inclusion of small and medium-sized enterprises. Financial education strategies for SMEs will also be addressed, including those that tackle delinquencies and bankruptcies. This session will also aim to show the impact of SMEs on the expansion of financial inclusion and their contribution to access to financial services.

Each participant will have 10 to 15 minutes for presentation

10:55 – 11:10

COFFEE BREAK  

11:10 – 11:30

GENERAL DEBATE (QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS) 

11:30 – 12:30

SESSION II. PUBLIC POLICIES FOR THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF SMES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN: ADVICE AND ACCOMPANIMENT FOR SMES IN THE EXPORT PROCESS

Moderator: Sandra Acero, Director of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism of Colombia (*) 

• Laura López. Director of Planning of the Ibero-American Export Network (REDIBERO).
• Yasmín Martínez. Coordinator of Productive Articulation and Value Chains of the Centre for the Promotion of Micro and Small Enterprises in Central America (CENPROMYPE).

12:15 – 12:30

GENERAL DEBATE (QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS)

12:30– 2:00

LUNCH

Afternoon

02:00 – 02:50

SESSION II. CONTINUATION

Moderator: Shirley Gómez. Coordinator of Internationalization Projects (ProColombia) 

• Representative of ProColombia Exports, Tourism, Investment, Brand Country,
• Alejandro Buvinic. Chile's National Coordinator for the Pacific Alliance at the Pro Tempore Presidency,
• Carlos Sánchez Badillo. Operations Manager. South America Office. APEX BRAZIL,
• Juan Ignacio González. Business Coordination and Service Manager. Argentine Investment and Trade Promotion Agency,
• Pablo Pereira. Representative of Uruguay XXI, Investment and Export Promotion Agency,

02:50 – 03:00

COFFEE BREAK  

03:00 – 03:45

• Eduardo Espinoza Valverde. Director of the Centre for Economic Integration Studies of the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA).
• Jesly Lusinchi Rondón. President of Itamar Consultores Gerenciales. Private sector. Venezuela.
• Adrianie Mendez. Coordinator of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Enhancement Programme. Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE).
• Representative of CARICHAM.

3:45- 4:30

GENERAL DEBATE (QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS)

This session sets out several objectives, namely: 

1. Identify the public policies required to support the strengthening of capacities of promotion agencies on issues related to the internationalization and innovation of SMEs;
2. Highlight the public policy support for SMEs in understanding access and taking advantage of new markets for export purposes, having access to financing, participating in a strong labour market, and accessing a barrier-free distribution network;
3. Establish a relationship between policies for SMEs and continuous improvements in the business environment as a support to companies with high growth potential.   

Each participant will have 10 minutes for presentation.

Friday, 22 November 2019

Morning

09:00 – 10:15

Moderator: Catalina Hernández. Export Manager of Procolombia Fashion System

• Alejandra Villota. Trade and Investment Specialist. Connect-Americas. BID Colombia.
• Cristina Collado Marti. E-commerce Advisor at the International Trade Centre (ITC/UN).
• María Fernanda Quiñones. President. Colombian Chamber of E-Commerce.
• Eva María Pinto Junca. Representative of the E-commerce digital platform Mercado Libre.
• Andrea Monroy. Representative of the platform and social network Google.

This session aims to highlight the challenges that SMEs face in adapting and linking each other in their transition to the digital world, noting that digital platforms and technologies are a space for innovation created to boost participation and insertion into the world of the productive sector. It is worth noting the importance of developing a virtual platform to promote trade, as well as support in developing e-commerce with the presence of digital payments and a new generation of financial services accessed through cell phones and Internet. 

It should be noted that the strategic alliances and best practices of SMEs are fundamental axes in the impact of digital transformation on everyday and productive reality. 

Each participant will have 15 minutes for presentation

10:15 – 11:00

GENERAL DEBATE (QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS)

11:00 – 11:10

COFFEE BREAK

11:15 – 12:15

SESSION IV: LOGISTICS SERVICES FOR THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF SMEs

Moderator: Juan Pablo Castrellón. Logistics and Competitiveness Coordinator. ProColombia 

• Carmen Ivone Gómez Díaz, Deputy Director of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism of Colombia.
• Paloma Bernal Turnes, Expert at the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT).
• Carlos Castillo Medina. National Business Manager. Roldán Logística.
• Logistics services in international trade.

This session will be focused on identifying logistics services as a relevant area of policies for SMEs, as well as the barriers they face in terms of the procedures required for the entry and departure of goods and income tax return; requirements for market access, logistics and physical distribution, cultural aspects in negotiation and marketing, leading to the identification of sectors and products with export potential.  

It will also aim to explain the implementation of international standards for customs and trade, according to the SAFE Framework of Standards (Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade); inform of the safety standards and best practices for determining compliance with procedures that provide insurance against contingencies that may threaten the shipping containers; disseminate the steps to comply with the process of validation and accreditation of the Authorized Economic Operator certification. 

Each participant will have 10 to 15 minutes for presentation.

GENERAL DEBATE (QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS)

LUNCH

Afternoon

2:00 – 3:00

Moderator: Liliana Barreto. Deputy Director of Future Exporters of the Vice-Presidency of Exports. ProColombia 

Panel with the participation of Colombian small and medium-sized exporting enterprises and chambers of commerce.

• Antonio Puentes, Representative of Grupo Quiromar. Uniformes Empresariales (Colombia)
• Representative of Brahman distributor (Colombia)

This panel is designed to make entrepreneurs the key actors of the debate. The goal is to know their opinions about:

1. Efforts to further boost intra-regional trade and the participation of SMEs in value chains, reinforce the business fabric, create more and better companies, and take advantage of the digital revolution.
2. Training and capacity-building courses through the exchange of experiences and best practices among them in topics such as startup creation and development, financial access, financial facilitation.
3. Technical support in the participation of commercial events abroad.

3:00 – 3:30

GENERAL DEBATE (QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS)

03:30 – 3:45

COFFEE BREAK

03:45 – 4:00

CLOSING SESSION 

• Representative of the Permanent Secretariat of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA)
• Representative of ProColombia Exports, Tourism, Investment, Brand Country