Today, one of the great challenges facing governments in the internationalization of their economic actors is the need to integrate the small and medium-sized enterprises of their countries into the globalization process. These economic units face many challenges, not only in terms of their activities, but also in terms of learning how trade operates outside their borders. All these efforts will be reflected in the improvement of economic indicators, an increase in local production and greater well-being for their members.
In this regard, it is important for both India and Colombia to support this type of initiative so that small and medium-sized companies can exorcise their fear of exporting and strengthen their skills when it comes to going out of their comfort zone.
Likewise, Procolombia, a government entity attached to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism oversees promoting exports, attracting foreign investment, promoting tourism and managing the country brand that during the government of President Gustavo Petro (2022-2026) is “Colombia the country of beauty”.
To achieve this objective, the “Internationalization Factories” program was created at the initiative of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism and its implementation was delegated to ProColombia, which seeks to encourage small and medium-sized companies with no experience in international issues to prioritize the increase of non-energy mining exports, promote an export culture at the corporate level regardless of their size, and expand the exporting business network.
This program identifies the main shortcomings of small and medium-sized companies such as the lack of a business model aimed at the internationalization of their products; lack of personnel trained in logistics; lack of knowledge of customs procedures; inefficiency in the management of time and costs in exports; lack of strategic alliances; failure to identify vulnerabilities in export channels, such as poor management of e-commerce; lack of knowledge of the diversity of requirements other than those of production, such as halal and kosher certificates, among others.
It also seeks to close a social gap by supporting the inclusion of companies and producers from different racial backgrounds, sexual diversity, different migratory origins and with special needs and disabilities. To date, this program has benefited 193 companies made up mainly of women who have received more than 2,400 interventions that have resulted in approximately US$5 million exported by them; 20 companies of peasants with more than 180 interventions that reflect movements of more than US$25 million and directly benefit 4,000 families; 9 companies made up of victims of Colombia’s internal conflict that have received more than 120 interventions and have exported more than US$50,000.
This Internationalisation factories program supports excellence for export, has a mentoring program for knowledge transfer, supports international expansion and generates sustainable projects especially for indigenous populations, women, and peasant communities, among others.
This technical assistance allows small and medium-sized enterprises to consolidate a parallel strategy to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals such as 1 (end poverty); 5 (gender equality); 8 (decent work and economic growth) and 10 (reduction of inequality) into their daily activities. All the above means that the SDGs are no longer an aspirational issue, but a reality that is concretized in the implementation of this policy to help improve the internationalization processes of companies.
In that order of ideas, these companies assume a commitment to export under the rules of sustainable development, to internationalize their territories under a culture for export, reaffirms the commitment of the Global South and generates the possibility of creating mechanisms for the exchange of successful experiences, activating these initiatives in the field of multilateralism.
For ProColombia it is important to share this experience with India because of the diversity of its population and its immense territory, we are sure that we can find synergies to support the internationalization of small and medium enterprises that are located near or far from urban centres and have a great potential to generate development, economic self-sufficiency, and improve the welfare of its inhabitants
