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Table 4.1 Policy approaches to SME export support
Groups SME export support as a component of Export Strategy for
SMEs
SME/Business
Development
Strategy
Trade Promotion
Strategy
Sub-Saharan
Africa
Burkina
Faso
.  .
Senegal   .
Uganda .  .
MENA
Egypt .  
Yemen   .
Saudi
Arabia
  .
Asia
Bangladesh .  .
Indonesia   .
Malaysia   .
Nevertheless, even in the case of general trade promotion strategies with no explicit SME chapter, generic
measures to ease cross-border activities are expected to benefit SMEs indirectly. This is the case, for
instance, of measures targeting infrastructures, whose deficiencies significantly increase the operating
costs for exporters, or of measures that strengthen the capacity of financial institutions to lend to
exporters.
The international experience shows that the improvement in general framework conditions is more likely
to benefit SMEs when matched by direct measures to support the supply-side, which is not always the
case for the countries examined. The 2008-2012 National Export Strategy (NES) of Uganda provides an
illustrative example of a broad export promotion policy aimed at improving, at the same time, business
framework conditions, market access, costs of undertaking international activities and supply-side
capabilities (Table 4.2). Although the Strategy was designed to foster and support business export
activities in general, the types of services offered, including market information, trade finance, skills
development, trade promotion and quality management, address barriers typically encountered by SMEs.
In addition, some measures aimed specifically at broadening and strengthening the supply side. These
included human resources programmes, competence building and management skills development among
potential exporters.