Caribbean Export Implementation Report 2017-2020

Musicians of Curaçao; Curaçao Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and the Small, Medium and Micro Business Association of Curaçao. At the close of the mission, focal points were established with key stakeholders. During the mission, an invitation was extended to local firms to attend the Agency’s 4th CARIFORUM- EU Business Forum. On the heels of themission inMay 2019, the Agency participated in a stakeholder’s consultation inCuraçao fromSeptember 23-25, 2019. Theconsultationwas toselect priority sectors; trade support functions; and development dimensions of the National Export Strategy (NES). It was also to provide a platform for stakeholders to assess Curaçao’s trade and investigate performance; identify constraints and opportunities for further export development; and set the overall direction and priorities for Curaçao’s trade competitiveness. TheAgencyalsoreceivedsupport fromthetradepromotionoffice(TPO) inCuraçao, for a study tour to the Netherlands, in preparation for the 4th CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum. The study tour sought to identify potential strategic partners in the Dutch market; conduct further buyer recruitment activities; and promote the Business Forum among potential stakeholders. The mission was held from May 1-3, 2019 and as a result there were several beneficial outcomes that were instrumental in the Agency’s planning and execution of the Forum.

Leading up to the Forum, stakeholders fromCuraçao participated in the Agency’s preparatory trainingon June 28, 2019. Theworkshopproved tobe effective, asmost respondents (55%) strongly agreed that they had an increased understanding of how to prepare their companies for B2B exchanges; while 50% strongly agreed that the training helped them to understand different marketing channels and how to target customers. Overall, 64% of the respondents rated the quality of the training content and the overall training as “excellent.” The overall objective was

53