ABSTRACT
The African states, in varying degrees, presently lack a broad base of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). The highly competitive, largely rural, small enterprises use local resources to supply mainly rural consumers with simple, inexpensive products. SMEs producing a variety of simple export products strengthen an economy against external shocks such as rapidly fluctuating commodity prices and give it more capacity to respond to long-term changes in terms of trade for primary goods. The second round table afforded participants an opportunity to discuss the importance of developing SMEs in Africa and to raise the main problems involved in promoting development. SMEs are hard to "reach" by their nature: They are numerous, geographically diffused, and undifferentiated. Participants agreed that African women have not been allowed to play the role in SME development that they could play. Small businesses may need help with training programs in accounting, management, and technical subjects or information on markets and international trade.
