Kevin K. Sullivan, Interim Permanent Representative of the United States to the OAS addresses the gathering. (OAS Photo)
On July 17 – 21, the Organization of American States (OAS) hosted representatives from the Caribbean Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) initiative in San Antonio, Texas and Washington, DC. The SBDC program was established to create sustainable and successful small business networks throughout the Americas. The Caribbean SBDC initiative provides countries with technical assistance from U.S. SBDCs and universities to adapt our model for small and medium-sized business promotion, enhancing the Caribbean’s capacity to engage larger markets and increasing the region’s familiarity with our economic policies. Launched in January 2012 with the financial support of the U.S. Government through the U.S. Permanent Mission to the OAS, the program assisted five countries during the first phase – Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Jamaica and Saint Lucia. During the conference, high-level representatives from the Bahamas, St. Kitts & Nevis, and Antigua & Barbuda signed MOUs with the OAS in Washington, DC to officially launch the SBDC initiative in their countries. Panel discussions included mechanics of government contracting, selecting and entering export markets, and tips from national export promotion agencies. Also visit the OAS Flicker photo gallery and the SBDC website.
