Cali, Colombia

With the motto "Constructing Capacities of Commerce in the SMEs before the new challenges", the 3rd SMEs Congress of the Americas on International Trade took place on May 28th and 29th in Cali, Colombia, where the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT) was represented by Edgar Maestre, Program Manager.

The congress brought together industrialists and institutions of different sectors that support the development of the SMEs in order to improve the opportunities and the international competitiveness of small companies in the Americas.

During the congress the YABT had the opportunity to establish contacts and strategies of collaboration with important organizations who share the mission of the YABT to promote the entrepreneurship and the enterprise development of the youth of the Western Hemisphere.

"The congress has been a space that allowed to present opportunities that exist so that the SMEs can accede to tools and programs of enterprise support that contribute to elevate their levels of competitiveness and innovation, fortifying its commercial capacities and their participation in the national and international markets ", explained Edgar Maestre of the YABT.

Within the congress agenda four panels were presented in which outstanding exhibitors shared their knowledge on the subject and presented the best practices of its institutions to foment the development of the SMEs of the region.

Also, work tables were carried out that included the subjects of the panels and in which the participants discussed and displayed recommendations that will contribute remarkably to the implementation of actions that benefit the SMEs. The YABT participated in the work group "Modalities of training and preparation of the SMEs for Commerce" where it shared its experience in working with programs of training like Enterprise laboratories and the Program "Young Entrepreneurs Follow Up "Nex Links" that offers entrepreneurial support, tools and resources to accelerate the projects of young people. "The training must be conducted with a methodology that is practical, integral and that is monitored..." said Edgar Maestre during one of its interventions in the work group.

The YABT is a nonprofit international organization that works in cooperation with Organization of the American States (OAS) in order to promote the development of young entrepreneurs through its programmes and projects in the areas of Leadership and Networking, Training, Technology and Strategic Alliances.

For further information please contact Edgar Maestre,- , emaestre@myybiz.net .