The Burkina Faso Business House (MEBF) organized an information and awareness workshop under component 1.2 of the project to support Entrepreneurship, skills development and technological adoption (ECOTEC), on Friday July 26, 2024 in Bobo-Dioulasso. The workshop aimed to strengthen the capacities of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as well as the adoption of technologies in the Hauts-Bassins region.
With a view to promoting and developing entrepreneurship among young people and women in Burkina Faso, the government and the World Bank launched a project called the Entrepreneurship, Skills Development and Adoption Support Project. technology (ECOTEC), on May 29, 2023. The Business House of Burkina Faso organized on July 26, 2024 in Bobo-Dioulasso an information and awareness workshop on the said project in order to strengthen the capacities of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). This project has a cost of 25 billion CFA francs.
The World Bank and the government contribute 16 billion
CFA francs and the private sector 9 billion CFA francs. At the opening ceremony of the workshop, the representative of the governor of Hauts-Bassins, Issiaka Segda, affirmed that the ECOTEC project is an opportunity that the Hauts-Bassins region must seize to lift the population out of poverty.
He suggested that the implementation of this project should ultimately lead to the participation of 1,750 entrepreneurs and companies, and the mobilization of the private sector’s contribution to the tune of 9 billion CFA francs. ‘Knowing the self-sacrifice of Burkinabe promoters and the dynamism of the MEBF, I have no doubt that the ECOTEC project will contribute to the structural transformation of the economy in all target areas ,’ said Issiaka. Segda. For the national coordinator of the ECOTEC project and also general director of the MEBF, Karim Ouattara, the ECOTEC project is a response to the country’s request for support for education, technical and professional training, the creation of jobs and the transformat
ion of the economy in the 13 regions of Burkina Faso.
An opportunity to seize
Listening to him, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are experiencing a certain financial fragility and remain very vulnerable to the national and international economic situation. It is for this reason, according to Mr. Ouattara, that some solutions have been proposed to support MSMEs in Burkina Faso. This includes, among other things, identifying new outlets, establishing commercial relationships, and technical training. According to its coordinator, the ECOTEC project aims to increase MSMEs’ access to financing, technology and a better trained workforce.
He also indicated that component 1.2 of the ECOTEC project which is planned for a duration of six months has national coverage which is structured around four components, one of which relates to access to financing. It will make it possible to mobilize financial resources for the private sector which amount to more than 25 billion CFA francs, including 16 billio
n CFA francs donated by the World Bank, via the government, and 9.5 billion CFA francs to be raised by the private sector.
The vice-president of the regional consular directorate of the chamber of commerce, Seydou Traoré, praised the ECOTEC project. ‘This project will undoubtedly contribute to strengthening the capacities and skills of our micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, but also to enable them to strengthen their financial capacities by granting subsidies and facilitating the financing of their activities , ‘ he said. He invited all business promoters and project idea leaders to seize this opportunity.
Source: Burkina Information Agency