According to the UN, measures taken to contain the spread of the new coronavirus have caused supply chain interruptions and a massive drop in demand in most sectors. To create decent jobs and improve livelihoods, small businesses today depend “more than ever” on a favorable business environment, including support for access to finance, information and markets .
The Organization led by António Guterres estimates that more than 600 million jobs will have to be created to absorb the growing global workforce by 2030. This is why the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs, is a high priority for many governments around the world.
In Morocco the MSMEs suffer
The current environment has had a significant impact on MSMEs, the majority of which will certainly suffer more in the months to come. According to the Moroccan Confederation of VSEs / SMEs, no less than 83% of this category of companies have experienced a total cessation of their activities, since the declaration of the state of health emergency. The remaining companies manage to fare well, but with difficulty. Certain sectors such as crafts, services and tourism are the most affected by the health crisis, registering an inactivity rate of 94.5%, 89.4% and 85.5% respectively. According to the economist and the president of the Confederation, Abdallah El Fergui “their treasuries were dry or mined by credits because of the low season”. One of the keys to the success of the post-crisis phase is therefore the support of very small businesses and self-employed entrepreneurs in crisis, particularly in terms of access to finance, especially since they occupy an important location in the job market.
Indeed, according to UN estimates, most formal sector jobs in emerging markets around the world are generated by this group of companies, which generally employ less than 250 people. They create up to 70% of jobs, specifies the organization. In Morocco, according to a recent study carried out by stagiaires.ma, a large majority of TMPEs (those still operational) intend to increase or maintain the course of their recruitments, despite their lack of visibility on future market trends. The study shows that 86% of the companies surveyed, although affected by the effects of the crisis, are still confident. 62% of them even plan, despite their lack of visibility, to increase or maintain the course of their recruitments. A confidence mainly carried by VSEs, among which 71% intend to keep or boost their momentum in terms of recruiting young laureates and students.
According to the UN, an increase of $ 1 trillion a year in investments in small and medium-sized enterprises would generate huge benefits for the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. She adds that these enterprises are considered to be “the backbone of most of the world’s economies ”and their role is essential in developing countries.
Data from the International Council for Small Business, ICSB, indicates that formal and informal micro, small and medium-sized enterprises account for more than 90% of all businesses. They generate half of the world’s GDP.
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