"IAPMEI - Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation and the Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal (IPS) will boost a set of activities such as training and awareness, development of management support tools, thematic events aimed at the public and private sector, awareness campaigns for the increase of financial literacy, among others," says a statement issued Tuesday.
The document adds that the project "aims to encourage and broaden micro, small and medium-sized companies' access to financial services through training and capacity-building for all the actors involved", such as the companies themselves, commercial banks or the judicial system, and through "a structured public-private dialogue".
The project, which begins this month, is financed by the European Union and is part of the Private Sector Development Program in Angola, which is being carried out under the coordination of the Ministry of Economy and Planning.
"Currently, the private sector and the micro, small and medium enterprises in Angola are faced with important challenges in which stand out: bureaucratic barriers to the creation of a business, limited access to funding and credit, insufficient infrastructure, low level of qualification of human resources and difficulties in access to foreign currency," explains the press release.
The president of IAPMEI, Francisco Sá, considered that this project "is a valuable opportunity to share experiences and work methodologies, contributing to institutional enrichment by strengthening cooperation among all involved".
In turn, the president of the IPS, Pedro Dominguinhos, argued that the Polytechnic of Setúbal "is strongly committed to this project," for which "hopes to contribute to strengthening the skills of Angolan staff and to boost the entrepreneurial culture and business creation in Angola".
The Portuguese Deputy Secretary of State and of the Economy, João Neves, believes that this project "will bring significant progress both in terms of capacity building and institutional cooperation, and in terms of access of micro, small and medium enterprises to new, more diversified, innovative and inclusive financial services".
The EU ambassador in Angola, Jeannette Seppen, said that the project was "part of the joint effort of the European Union and the Angolan government to generate jobs and added value for the country, which needs to mobilise all instruments (...) to boost the business environment in Angola".
