The Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA) and the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) signed a cooperation protocol on Monday to develop the small and micro enterprises in Egypt. The protocol was signed by Tarek Shash, head of the central sector for planning and international cooperation in MSMEDA, and Ghada Abdullah, head of the economic and mobilisation statistics sector at CAPMAS. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Nevin Gamea, executive director of MSMEDA, and Khairat Barakat, head of CAPMAS. The signing of this protocol comes within the framework of enhancing cooperation between the two parties and utilising their respective capabilities to provide a suitable environment for the growth of the SME sector, said Gamea. The protocol also aims to establish a database covering these projects and the classification of them according to each project's size, capital, and labour. She added that the CAPMAS will provide technical assistance to the MSMEDA in the implementation of all field surveys, and re-classification of its database of all projects available at the agency, which will increase the agency's ability to meet the needs of projects' owners in all governorates. For his part, Khairat Barakat stressed that one of the objectives of the CAPMAS is to complete the unified statistical work system, unify statistical standards, concepts, and terminology, and develop comprehensive information systems, which helps in planning, development, evaluation, policy-making and decision-making in all developmental areas. He added that this cooperation will contribute to provide better opportunities for entrepreneurs, which will increase local production and raise the competitiveness of Egyptian exports of this sector, which leads to improve living standards and reduce unemployment.
