Within the framework of a special UNIDO initiative targeting countries and regions emerging from a crisis situation, special needs for the empowerment of these communities are addressed to promote their participation in post-crisis productive rehabilitation and reconstruction through building sustainable livelihoods.

In post-conflict economies, the MSE sector is to be considered an engine of growth, holding the key to socio-economic progress. The most significant constraints that confront the Micro and Small Enterprises (MSE) sector exist in the areas of technology, business management, vocational and technical skills, Business Development Services (BDS), and entrepreneurial knowledge. This calls for establishing an institutional support system capable of developing skilled human resources and providing services related to reaching quality standards, marketing approaches and developing a business culture. Moreover, as many MSEs have restricted access to the financial resources necessary to expand their capacities, they are unable to capitalize fully on increased market demands.

UNIDO’s approach is therefore to provide training on how to tap market potential, attract small investments and financing, and improve technical, business and management skills of entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs are to be assisted in finding ways to increase productivity and improve product quality standards to meet market demand on a continuous basis. More specifically, UNIDO assists in building up a pool of innovative professional skills in technical sectors and establish competitive thinking among entrepreneurs to facilitate the production and marketing.

UNIDO’s activities in this area focus on:

• Strengthening and rehabilitating vocational training systems to promote demand-oriented training programmes for vulnerable groups, which also instil an entrepreneurial culture.
• Upgrading of the physical infrastructure and provision of modern equipment to vocational training systems.
• Establishing Outreach Training Programmes to target specific groups and remote target areas.
• Setting up Enterprise-based technical vocational training programmes, involving the private sector.
• Fostering MSEs creation and expansion through facilitation of BDS, market linkages, micro finance schemes and business promotion.