Implementation of the 10th EDF Regional Provate Sector Programme

PROMOTING TRADE AND EXPORT DEVELOPMENT

The objectives of the training included providing private sector firms with a basic understanding of market intelligence, and introducing them to the Market Pointer tool; delivering practical training on how to develop Market Briefs with information relevant tomarket intelligence needs; identifying the traditional data sources for market information, and providing a demonstrating on the use of the platforms; and assisting in the capacity building of the regional private sector to procure high quality market intelligence information independently. A total of 115 persons participated in the Market Intelligence Training. Immediate outcomes for beneficiaries included increased familiarity with data sources such as International Trade Centre (ITC) tools Trade Map, Market Access Map, and Standards Map; the Centre for Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI) market intelligence platform, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Fact Book, and the EU Export Helpdesk. Participants were also able to adequately complete the market brief template, and are currently following up with the Agency for additional assistance in the use of other trade information tools.

guidance from regional experts on the development of an Export Competitiveness Index (ECI), in order to avoid major changes at the end of project, as well as generate a wider regional understanding of the process involved in developing the Index. Specifically, workshop participants provided feedback on the sectors to be included in the Index based on international classifications of goods and services, the criteria for export competitiveness, indicators of criteria, and the model for computing the ECI. In addition to the aforementioned, other workshop outcomes included a consensus on measurement of indicators, and the model for estimating the ECI. The tentative sectors for inclusion: travel and tourism (including health and wellness), financial and insurance services, professional services (including IT), creative industries, non- manufacturing industry (including mining), manufacturing (including agro-processing), agriculture, fisheries, and livestock, and logistics (including transport, storage, and communication). The weight for each of these sectors will be determined by a combination of contribution to GDP, export earnings as a percentage of total exports, net foreign exchange generated, number of person employed or their combined income earned as a percentage of total employed persons or their income generated. As it relates to the criteria for export competitiveness, the tentative conditions include cost, differentiation, firm processes, strategies, and management; inherent country resources; enabling environment; and external environment.

PARTICIPANTS IN MARKET INTELLIGENCE TRAINING BY COUNTRY

Barbados

Belize

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Haiti

St. Lucia

Trinidad & Tobago

Export Competitiveness Index

On October 5-6, 2015 Caribbean Exported convened a Conceptualisation Workshop on the Export Competitiveness Indices for CARIFORUM Countries. Facilitated by the consultants developing the Indices, A-Z Information Jamaica Limited. The workshop was used as an opportunity to obtain input and

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