A two member delegation of International Finance Corporation (IFC) - a subsidiary of UNO, held a meeting with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda) Chief Executive Officer Shahid Rashid to discuss a training project for SMEs in Pakistan.
Kahadija Fahmy, leader of the delegation said that IFC had completed around 260 training programmes successfully in Yemen, Jordan and other countries and now the corporation has decided to initiate a series of such training programmes in Pakistan, and added that main purpose of these programmes is to develop and enhance skills of small and medium entrepreneurs in the areas like accounting and financing so as to enable them work in the formal sector more efficiently for curbing poverty and ensuring sustainable social and economic development.
She disclosed that the IFC was looking for some good training companies to undertake this programme. "We will conclude selection of three professional agencies by November next to launch the programme", she added.
Earlier Shahid Rashid appraised the delegation about role of Smeda for developing SMEs in Pakistan. He said that apart from the regular services to be rendered by Smeda for SMEs in planning, management, marketing and policy making at government level, 16 Common Facility Centres were being established by Smeda under Public Sector Development Programme.