To mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic, the AfDB and the ILO have proposed recommendations based on two key aspects, namely the promotion of entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises as a lever for the preservation and creation of jobs and the inclusion of activities and objectives in favor of employment in sectoral recovery plans, explains this note, issued on Monday and related to the impact of the health crisis on employment and small and medium-sized enterprises.

In terms of strengthening SMEs and entrepreneurship, the note proposes the establishment of a structuring framework favorable for the development of entrepreneurship and formal and informal SMEs.

This involves the setting up in the short term of a technical support system for entrepreneurship including SMEs affected by the crisis, the structuring of support for entrepreneurship and SMEs on the medium-term, the adoption of an incentive framework for the formalization of the informal sector and the strengthening of the information system of SMEs.

Regarding the fostering of the access of SMEs to the market, to public procurement and to internationalization, the study proposes a reform of the national public procurement system to promote access of small and medium-sized enterprises to public procurement and to increase the access opportunities of Moroccan SMEs to international markets in general, and to the African one in particular.

The AfDB and the ILO also recommend the generalization and densification of access by SMEs to external financing, through the continuation of facilities for access to financing for micro-enterprises in the context of Covid-19, the facilitation of access to financing for formal and informal micro-enterprises by strengthening microfinance institutions.

It also concerns supporting the bodies responsible for the financial education of SMEs (professional associations and chambers) and improving the financing of formal SMEs and start-ups.

With regard to the promotion of employment, the study recommends the inclusion in each sectoral recovery plan of projects with strong employment creation impact.