NEW ITC PUBLICATIONS: Resources on trade and export development for exporters, trade support institutions and policymakers.

SME COMPETITIVENESS OUTLOOK 2019: BIG MONEY FOR SMALL BUSINESS--FINANCING THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Increasing annual investments in small and medium-sized enterprises by $1 trillion would yield disproportionate dividends in terms of progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. These investments also have the potential to deliver healthy returns for investors. To boost investment in developing-country small firms, this report finds that stronger investment facilitators (actors which connect firms to investors) are key. Other major findings: bundling investments for small firms into large packages helps scale up financing; disseminating information on small business credit performance improves risk assessments; and helping these firms to be investor-ready improves their commercial viability.

Executive Summaries are also available in French and Spanish.

http://www.intracen.org/publication/smeco2019/

WOMEN SHAPING GLOBAL ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE

This volume brings together contributions from leading policymakers and thought leaders from all across the world on how to shape our economies. Written entirely by women, this book is not about women. It is written by women who want to encourage everyone, including the 50% of the global population that are women, to contribute to shaping economic governance at a time where the world is impacted by a digital, environmental and social revolution. The essays and observations show women analysing the challenges confronting economic governance and formulating concrete proposals for how to navigate this period of turbulence.

http://www.intracen.org/publication/womengovernance/

AID TOR TRADE AT A GLANCE 2019: EMPOWERING YOUTH TOR SUSTAINABLE TRADE

Youth economic empowerment is tied to the future of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This chapter looks at the role of internationally competitive SMEs in providing jobs for young people and examines how improved youth skills and innovation promote the export capacity of SMEs. Firm-level data show that access to finance is more of a challenge for youth-led enterprises than those with older leaders. The chapter finds that Aid for Trade programmes which improve access to financial services for youth entrepreneurs and improve the skills of young people promote SME competitiveness for trade while helping young people find gainful employment.

http://www.intracen.org/publication/aid-for-trade-2019-youth/

A GUIDE TO COMMERCIAL DIPLOMACY

The world's...