41
Interdependency is also manifest in the growth of intra-OIC trade. The following tables for Uganda and
Senegal show that the share of each country’s intra-OIC trade has increased considerably from 15.17% to
50.92 % and 5.24% to 22.59%, respectively. The same trend is observed in overall intra-OIC trade. This
rate of growth in intra-OIC activity can only help in the development of these countries especially if they
are unable to explore markets in weakening European and North American markets.
Table 3.4 Intra-OIC trade data (Uganda), 2000-2009
Source: ICDT
Table 3.5 Intra-OIC trade data (Senegal), 2000-2009
Source: ICDT
3.2.3. The role of SMEs for Development and Trade in sub-Saharan Africa
The absence of properly codified and detailed data on SMEs across the sub-Saharan region makes it
difficult to do either an overarching analysis of SME performance and development in the region or
meaningful cross-country comparisons. This problem also affects the development of policies both within
countries and across linked economies with a view to promoting networked businesses and enhanced
intra-regional trade among SMEs. We are conscious, however, of the truism that the majority of
businesses in most economies are small or medium sized enterprises. In the absence of comprehensive
and reliable data we can attempt either a crude extrapolation of existing information or rely on case
studies of specific countries using data where available as proxies of regional level information to inform
our understanding of SMEs. Since this study does not attempt to address problems of whole regions we
choose snapshots from three countries, Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Uganda to assist us with our analysis
of SME and exports of sub-Saharan countries.
Both Senegal and Uganda boast large communities of micro, small and medium sized enterprises. They
account for 90% of all private sector businesses in both countries. The Senegalese firms are key drivers of
growth in the Senegalese economy sharing the same contributory accolade with their Ugandan
counterparts, which are responsible for over 80% of manufactured output and about 75% to the gross
domestic product. However, these enterprises do not necessarily play a key role in driving economic
development in terms of job creation or employment retention. Although 300,000 SMEs account for 90%
Uganda 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
World exports
(in millions US $)
320 312 324.1 531.9 687.3 675.02 687.47 1336.67 1724.3 1597.09
Intra OIC exports
share in %
5.94 6.73 3.24 6 8.27 12.11 13.45 26.24 22.2 22.59
Intra OIC trade share in % 4.71 5.39 3.57 9.31 10.63 12.2 12.96 23.37 22.38 22.17
Main intra-OIC exported
products (2008)
Coffee, road vehicules, cereals, sugar and sugar products, telecomequipments, fish, custaceans and millusess
Senegal 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
World exports
(in millions US $)
841 849 1584,54 1269,4 1443,47 1363,58 1546,26 2170,48 2017,39 2134,52
Intra OIC exports
share in %
15,17 22,38 30,19 35,63 37,84 41,07 52,54 48,53 48,05 50,92
Intra OIC trade share in % 19,27 22,37 23,64 28,77 35,06 31,72 29,33 35,74 36,56 33,95
Main intra-OIC exported
products (2008)
Petroleumproducts, non metallic manufactures, tobacco and tobacco manufactures, iron and steel, cereals
Main Customer Mali, Gambia, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Mauritania, Guinea Bissau, Chad, U.A. Emirates, Burkina Faso and Cameroon