SMEs to underpin Africa’s growth – DHL MD

In the absence of manufacturing, it is highly likely that Africa’s short-term growth is going to be hugely underpinned by the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector; this is according to the Managing Director of DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, Charles Brewer.

 
DHL last week announced that it will in the near future engage in an SME training and development programme which will be aimed at helping the SMEs to go global. Brewer told the media that, “the more companies like DHL can help promote and connect the SMEs to the rest of the world, the more successful and sustainable the economy of Botswana will be. The SMEs is the future of Africa certainly in the short term.” He said getting them go global will help grow the economies of those markets and make them more sustainable and create jobs.

 
“How will we assist? The SMEs get in contact with Mokgethi Magapa, DHL Express Botswana Country Manager and we will happily engage in helping to get that SME to go global, whether it is in the pricing perspective to make it affordable, or in the knowledge perspective that involves training and develop that SME to go global,” Brewer said.
The training and development programme will be launched in Botswana and other parts of Africa in the next few months, the company said. The programme will be offered online, one can read a book from DHL, or come personally to DHL to get the training.

 
Brewer, who has vast experience in his field having worked for DHL for the over 30 years in various countries like the United States of America, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Philippines and now based in South Africa said that SMEs do not go global due to a number of factors among them, lack of motivation, lack of knowledge, and not having the finance.

 
For his part, Magapa said that they continue to make improvements in their business with a view of making their customers more successful. “In facilitating trade in and out of Botswana with the rest of the world, we intend to contribute meaningfully in making the country more successful and assist in the economic diversification drive,” he said.