Conference Objectives

It is widely recognized that structured and systematic consultation and cooperation among the private sector, public sector, and civil society organisations is crucial for effective SME development. Sharing this vision, the Small Enterprise Center (SEC) in Palestine, in coordination with selected local organizations, is taking the initiative to organise and conduct the “First National Conference on SME Development in Palestine”. The conference is a platform for the active participation of all stakeholders engaged in SME development. It is an occasion to support partnerships within the private sector as well as between the public and private sectors. Furthermore, it is considered to be the first step in a process that supports the formulation of a comprehensive vision and strategy for SME development, which in turn shall be incorporated into the PNA's Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) and serve as a reference frame for donors and policy-makers engaged in private-sector development activities. The strategy will also be translated into national action plans with supporting programmes and timeframes that build on already existing planning documents for private sector development.

The overall objective of the conference is to provide essential orientation on SME development towards enhancing the business-enabling environment for SMEs in Palestine. The immediate purpose is to come up with proposals on how the public and private sectors can better work together to develop and implement a national development agenda for SMEs in order to increase their impact on the domestic socio-economic development.