Publications

Small firms are at the heart of Eswatini’s participation in international value chains. But they often struggle to trade due to production capacity constraints, including inadequate managerial skills and certification, failure to engage with business support organizations and weak linkages with...

Standards and regulations have a major impact on SME competitiveness.

All of the LDCs export commercial services and nearly one quarter of LDCs are net exporters of services: while Tourism is usually the major explanatory factor, it is not the only one. LDC services exports are growing twice as fast as the world average and the LDC share in world services exports...

This ITC 50th anniversary publication explores new opportunities to connect small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries to global markets, provides recommendations for trade assistance and presents a road map for ITC’s future work.

Companies in 16 French-speaking African countries are more likely to export when they comply with international standards, according to a joint survey by ITC and the Permanent Conference of African and Francophone Consular Chambers (CPCCAF). Among 9,000 firms surveyed, only 25% have an...

China is the world’s top fruit and vegetable producer, with vegetable outputs alone totalling 49% of global output. The Chinese market for tropical fruits and vegetables is set to keep on growing at a steady pace in the near future. For least developed country exporters, this market represents...

Cambodia's small and medium-sized enterprises play a central role in the country's economy and development, but face a number of challenges that have been further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The issue of climate change has grown in importance as seen through the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol and issues such as “food miles”. ‘Food miles’ is a relatively recent issue which has arisen in the United Kingdom, Germany and other countries over food transportation. This...

Women make up almost half of Kenya’s labour force, yet they remain on the margins of business ownership – only 9% of Kenya’s firms are majority women-owned.

This SME Competitiveness Outlook assesses the impact of conflict and fragility on business performance. It unveils a Fragility Exposure Index, and shows that fragility, as experienced by firms, can be reduced by 25% if they take actions to reinforce competitiveness. These include engaging with...

The goal of Kenya’s Textile and Clothing (T&C) Value Chain Roadmap is to set the sector on the course of strategic development by addressing constraints in a comprehensive manner and defining concrete opportunities that can be realized through the specific steps detailed in its Plan of Action...

Rwandan creative industries are exploring ways to tackle challenges and develop products and services for domestic and international markets. This ITC paper uses case studies to illustrate how music and film companies in Rwanda tap global platforms to expand outreach, follow the diaspora to enter...