ITC publications bring the business voice to sustainable trade, with a focus on developing countries.
We offer guidance for trade policymakers, business support organizations and small firms. Our reports offer insights to make trade more inclusive, green, digital and competitive.
One in three companies in French-speaking Africa is in a difficult financial position, according to ITC research. While it is evident that their financial situation is closely tied to their economic performance, evidence shows that their growth rests on access to finance. Yet one fourth of...
Thanks to a more services-based economy and the prestige associated with women’s entrepreneurship, new opportunities allow Nigerian women to play a more active role in business.Nigerian businesswomen need support for registration and certification, banking, skills development and flexible work...
Small and medium-sized enterprises in Kenya are an underexploited resource with significant potential to boost inclusive growth.Drawing on data from the SME Competitiveness Survey, this report finds that even though Kenyan companies organize their production processes professionally and have a...
Increasing annual investments in small and medium-sized enterprises by $1 trillion would yield disproportionate dividends in terms of progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. These investments also have the potential to deliver healthy returns for investors.To boost investment in...
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Zambia play a key role in boosting growth and job creation.Data from the SME Competitiveness Survey shows that: SMEs in the agri-food sector have good capacity to deliver products on time; manufacturing firms are content with the skillset of their...
Private investment from China into Africa is significant but its potential for increasing local productivity largely underestimated. The main challenge for investors is finding information on the availability and quality of local suppliers. This new ITC report aims to address this challenge. It uses...
Policymakers now have an SME-friendly toolkit to guide national reforms when implementing the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement. Addressing reforms from the perspective of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will spread benefits across the whole business community. By...
Private investment from China into Africa is significant but its potential for increasing local productivity largely underestimated. The main challenge for investors is finding information on the availability and quality of local suppliers. This new ITC report aims to address this challenge. It uses...
Digitalization and the rise of the platform economy are rapidly changing the way in which firms do business. A strong business ecosystem is necessary to manage this change. This year’s SME Competitiveness Outlook tells how to build it.The report combines data analysis, academic insights, thought...
Small businesses in Saint Lucia are contributing to the country’s export growth. The findings of a new ITC Competitiveness Survey jointly conducted with the country’s Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA) provides guidance on how to exploit opportunities in four key sectors: food and beverages,...
Companies in 16 French-speaking African countries are more likely to export when they comply with international standards, according to a joint survey by ITC and the Permanent Conference of African and Francophone Consular Chambers (CPCCAF). Among 9,000 firms surveyed, only 25% have an...
Digitalization and the rise of the platform economy are rapidly changing the way in which firms do business. A strong business ecosystem is necessary to manage this change. This year’s SME Competitiveness Outlook tells how to build it.The report combines data analysis, academic insights, thought...
