MSME Working Group reviews new trade initiatives, highlights exemplary businesses

New trade initiatives

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Assistant Director-General Marco M. Alemán introduced the organization's key tools in support of MSMEs. These include the Global Innovation Index (GII) and report, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services to help MSMEs enforce their IP rights efficiently, and helping small businesses benefit from scientific and patent information through easier access to patent documents and scientific papers.

Mr Alemán also highlighted WIPO's IP for Business Programme and Global Entrepreneurship Empowerment Program, which provide online tools and guidelines to help small businesses develop their IP strategies and navigate IP registration systems.

International Trade Centre (ITC) Deputy Executive Director Dorothy Tembo highlighted the first Global SME Ministerial Conference, held in partnership with South Africa in Johannesburg, in July 2025. The Conference prompted in-depth discussions across the main themes: accelerating the green transition; digital transformation; and improving access to finance.

Anne Chappaz from the ITC also highlighted the Leadership Dialogue for Trade Promotion Organizations (TPOs), held on the sidelines of the Conference, which showcased the role of technical support in enhancing small businesses’ digital readiness. She emphasized the need to strengthen such support through additional case studies.

MC14 preparations, implementation of 2020 MSME Package

Ambassador Matthew Wilson of Barbados, WTO MSME Group Coordinator, summarized the Group's work since MC13 in a draft ministerial statement, including thematic session lessons learned, and highlighted documents prepared for MC14.

Participants also reviewed progress in implementing the December 2020 MSME Package, a set of policy recommendations supporting MSMEs. Colombia shared insights into integrating MSME issues into their WTO Trade Policy Review (TPR), underlining government engagement with MSMEs. The ITC updated members on recent outreach regarding the Global Trade Help Desk, an online platform that provides data to help small businesses export and import goods and services.

The chairs of the WTO Trade and Gender Working Group, Ambassador Patricia Benedetti of Cabo Verde and Ambassador Clara Delgado Jesus of El Salvador, provided an overview of the Group’s work and preparations for MC14, highlighting ongoing collaboration with the MSME Group.

In addition, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) presented findings from its recent study on MSMEs and trade facilitation in Latin America and the Caribbean, outlining best practices and challenges in enhancing the competitiveness of small traders and their integration into value chains.

Small Business Champions spotlighted

Participants heard presentations from the two winners of the 2025 Small Business Champions Competition: Silaiwali (India), which empowers women artisans by upcycling waste fabric from garment factories into handcrafted products; and NetZero Pallets (Viet Nam), which converts biomass into carbon-neutral shipping pallet materials.

The meeting also featured a "MSME Spotlight"- experience sharing by exemplary businesses - including AFRIpads, introduced by the United Nations Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF). AFRIpads, an innovative Ugandan manufacturer of reusable hygiene products, now serves over 7 million women and girls across 40 countries, demonstrating the impact of MSMEs in driving social and economic development.

Informal economy

In a discussion on facilitating the transition of MSMEs from the informal economy, participants heard experiences shared by members and international organizations. These included the International Labour Organization (ILO)’s decent work program and Nigeria’s Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN)’s national initiatives supporting MSME formalization.

 

The group heard presentations from other organizations, including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) who shared information on tools promoting sustainable foreign investment in small businesses and the updated SME Financing Scoreboard, and  the Universal Postal Union (UPU) regarding its  TradePost project, which simplifies trade processes.

Other business

Emmanuelle Ganne, Chief of Digital Trade and Frontier Technologies at the WTO, shared insights from the recent WTO Digital Trade Transformation Forum (10 September 2025), highlighting the linkages between digitalization and small business development.

Ambassador Wilson highlighted the September Trade4MSMEs Network meeting, which focused on trade digitalization for small businesses in the age of AI and fostering collaboration between the WTO and international organizations.

In a separate experience-sharing discussion, the Russian Federation invited the Export School of the Russian Export Center to share information on training programmes for female entrepreneurs.

Next

The next meeting of the Informal Working Group on MSMEs is scheduled for 2 December 2025.

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