EU, ABAD, UNDP support SMEs in northwest regions
By Leman Mammadova
In modern Azerbaijan, the development of family entrepreneurship, the creation of new jobs for low-income people in need of social protection and the creation of a source of stable income is one of the priorities of the country's economic development.
The three-year project with a total budget of $1.07 million, implemented in the regions of Azerbaijan in partnership with the European Union (EU), the family business support unit of ASAN which is known as ABAD and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), is underway.
The project helps 44 families in the north-western region of Azerbaijan, covering Balakan, Gakh, Gabala, Oguz, Sheki and Zagatala, to establish their family business.
So far, 23 families have managed to realize their plans within the framework of the project. To date, $414,580 out of the total budget of $427,290 for 2018 have been mastered. Funds were spent on the purchase of equipment and organization of trainings.
The budget for this year is set at $400,000, $193,830 of which have been spent so far.
Since the beginning of the year, a series of trainings have been held for families and ABAD employees on small and medium business development, including monitoring and certification, packaging and logistics, financial literacy, social responsibility and the role of gender balance, international trade, branding and sales, internal communication and anti-corruption.
ABAD was established on September 23, 2016, to support the active participation of citizens in the socio-economic development of the country. The main goal of the project is to support Azerbaijani families in the formation of their family business.
The project is working in two priority areas: support for families in the production of agricultural products, as well as support for craftsmen of arts and crafts. In addition, ABAD prepares a business plan for them, calculates the market needs, assumes all the legal subtleties of this process and helps to bring products to the final point of sale.
The project aims to promote the socio-economic development of the regions of Azerbaijan and the creation of a modern and sustainable family business in rural areas, as well as ensuring equal opportunities and inclusion in accordance with European standards and practices.
As part of this project, the first ABAD regional center was built in Masalli region as part of the ASAN Hayat complex. Then the project acquired a more mass character, and thus, the second such regional center was opened in Balakan region, with the financial support of SOCAR (State Oil Company of Azerbaijan).
As part of the European Union’s gender equality policy, the project envisages the implementation of 44 start-ups, 23 of which are headed by women.
The project is implemented within the framework of the European Union’s Program for Rural and Regional Development (PSDR). The main part of the project is funded by the European Union and amounts to $967,000, while the government of Azerbaijan provides $50,000 and $57,000 is provided by UNDP.
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Leman Mammadova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888
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