Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Jumia Egypt- a leading e-commerce platform in effort to assist SMEs to grow, expand, increase their competitiveness and generate more sales.
MSMEDA Deputy Executive Director Engineer Tarek Shash witnessed the MoU signing ceremony, while Head of MSMEDA Central Sector for Non-financial Services Dr. Raafat Abbas signed the MOU with CEO of Jumia Egypt Engineer Hesham Safwat in the presence of officials representing both sides.
Engineer Shash said MSMEDA works continuously to open new marketing channels for entrepreneurs, in line with the directives of H.E Dr. Neveine Gamea. Minister of Trade and Industry and MSMEDA Executive Director, to help enterprise owners commercialize their products.
Engineer Shash added that MSMEDA engages enterprise owners in local and international exhibitions it organizes periodically. He further elaborated that the number of e-commerce clients and e-marketing applications is on the rise, especially, in the aftermath of COVID 19 pandemic, a fact that has turned the integration of entrepreneurs into e-marketing platforms an inevitable necessity that helps grow MSME sector.
Within this context, Head of MSMEDA Central Sector for Non-financial Services Dr. Raafat Abbas emphasized the necessity of cooperation with these technological platforms and lauded their efforts in reinvigorating MSME sector.
Dr. Abbas explained that the participation of entrepreneurs into these online marketplaces takes place according to specific criteria, namely, product quality and the enterprise capacity to fulfil its obligations in due dates. Dr. Abbas also said MSMEDA supports entrepreneurs in displaying their products via these e-platforms and provides them with training as well to upgrade their production in agreement with stipulations and conditions applicable locally and globally and hence, their marketing potential will be strikingly enhanced.
Head of MSMEDA Central Sector for Non-financial Services added MSMEDA, in coordination with Jumia Egypt has offered a reduced selling commission for small enterprise owners desirous to participate, whereas Jumia will furnish each participating entrepreneur with e-marketing tools, besides an electronic system for each one to be able to monitor his sales rate.
Meanwhile, Jumia Egypt CEO Engineer Hesham Safwat expressed his satisfaction over the signing of the MOU with MSMEDA and said: “Since the first day the online marketplace Jumia, has been setting its sight on micro and small enterprises and has also been providing them with all kinds of support, technical and logistical care in line with the directives of the political leadership pertaining to the encouragement of local products.
Engineer Safwat added Jumia believes that economies depend on MSMEs, and thus we have been among the first companies to launch an initiative for encouraging local products under the motto “Made in Egypt”. Accordingly, Jumia presents to its partners from among owners of small and medium enterprises and artisans a great opportunity to exhibit their products on its platform whether at Black Friday seasons or at sales taking place all year long. He also reiterated that the initiative “Support Them … Buy their Products” complements Jumia’s efforts along the previous years to support locally manufactured products and motivate Egyptians to buy them. He concluded that “Innovation from Egypt” initiative has furthermore been launched to promote Egyptian handicrafts.
