Eastern Partner Countries 2024 Building Resilience in Challenging Times
High-level country launch of the OECD SME Policy Index 2024
Date and time:
- Thursday, 29 February 2024
- 10:00 – 11:30
- Radisson Blu Iveria Hotel, First Republic Square 1, 0108 Tbilisi, Georgia
Supporting the digital transformation of SMEs in the Eastern Partner Countries
First country-level OECD-GIZ workshop: From recommendations to implementation
Date and time:
- Thursday, 29 February 2024
- 11:30 – 15:30
- Radisson Blu Iveria Hotel, First Republic Square 1, 0108 Tbilisi, Georgia
What is the event about?
The Eastern Partner countries have taken significant steps towards business digitalisation over the last few years. However, significant differences in business digitalisation levels exist which can be attributed to varying levels of economic development, institutional capacity, and policy frameworks. Despite significant efforts made by EaP governments, support to SMEs remains a priority area to further accelerate and facilitate the uptake of digital technologies and the digitalisation of business processes. To provide more effective support to SMEs, EaP governments need to further develop the digital ecosystem and institutional landscape of digital support agencies, formulate effective digitalisation strategies, design relevant SME support programmes, and secure adequate financial support for these initiatives.
The OECD has been providing analytical support and policy advice on business digitalisation in the EaP countries since 2020. Building on the OECD's prior engagement and expertise in both SME development and digital transformation, including the key findings of the OECD SME Policy Index: Eastern Partner Countries 2024, country-level insights and an established network of practitioners, the OECD will provide further support to policy makers across the region through a new project with GIZ. By providing capacity building for public stakeholders and supporting the design of country-level SME roadmaps, the project aims to accelerate digital transformation policies and support the EaP countries in their journey towards a digitally empowered SME sector. Through regional policy dialogue and sharing of good practices, the project seeks to promote harmonized efforts and foster the creation of an ecosystem and enabling environment for the digitalisation of SMEs, thereby contributing to the overall economic growth and development of the Eastern Partner countries.
Objectives of the meeting
The main objectives of this meeting will be 1) to launch the publication SME Policy Index Eastern Partner Countries 2024, to 2) hold the first country-level meeting of the GIZ-OECD project Supporting the Digital Transformation of SMEs in the Eastern Partner Countries, discussing priorities and actions for the country’s SME digitalisation roadmap, and 3) to agree on next steps.
Audience
This event will bring together a wide range of SME policy stakeholders. This includes policy makers and experts from Georgia involved in the design and implementation of policies promoting SME development and digitalisation, representatives of the private sector, as well as EU, GIZ and OECD officials.
Technical details
- Working Language: English with simultaneous interpretation into Georgian.
- Registration: Please register here by 15 February.
