UNECE-WYB Joint Mission
to Belarus to Assist in Development of
Youth Entrepreneurship
Geneva, 17 September 2003 - At
the invitation of Mr. Vladimir Konopljov,
Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives
of the National Assembly of the Republic
of Belarus, the United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the World
Youth Bank (WYB) made a joint advisory mission
to Minsk to explore the current youth situation
and to advise the Parliament, government
authorities and non-governmental organizations
how to develop youth entrepreneurship. The
mission was also to advise on the creation
a Youth Entrepreneurship Development Centre
(YEDC) within the framework of national
entrepreneurship as well as youth policies.
Prof. Rachel Golden (US), Vice-Chair of
the Team of Specialists (TOS) on Entrepreneurship
on Poverty Alleviation, and Prof. Sonia
Heptonstall (UK), a member of the same TOS,
were also members of the delegation.
Mr. Vladimir Konopljov
drew attention to the fact that out of the
110 MPs there are 30 businessmen in the
current National Assembly, which indicates
that private business is increasing even
though the share of the SME sector of GDP
is still modest - less than 7% - and the
number of employees in SMEs is around 8-10%.
Discussions were held on
the establishment of a Belarusian branch
of the World Youth Bank in Minsk. Mr. Tomislaw
Bogdanic, President of the WYB, stated that
"Belarus is a country of great natural and
human resources and potential, which deserves
and needs urgent national development and
international recognition. As the country's
future lies in the hands of its youth, we
at the WYB hope that through activities
of our Belarusian Office, in cooperation
with the UNECE and other international organizations,
we will succeed to produce and boost the
needed synergy between the Government, private
businesses and civil society".
Prof. Rachel Golden emphasized
that "the pocketbook", or knowledge,
without leadership can be detrimental in
a dynamic, rapidly changing business landscape.
However, leadership without "the pocketbook"
can lead to the acquisition of knowledge
and skills necessary to plant and harvest
successful economic opportunities. Discussion
with members of the Belarusian Government,
youth groups, and civil society provided
strong evidence that the creation of a YEDC
would promote the development of Belarusian
youth "leaders", stimulate business
investment, create youth employment, and
provide opportunity for continuous learning
about changing markets and entrepreneurial
thinking.
According to Mr. Antal
Szabó, Regional Adviser on Entrepreneurship
and SMEs of the UNECE, "the primary tasks
of a newly created YEDC would be (i) training/retraining/improvement
of skills of young entrepreneurs; (ii) business
consultancy on legal issues, registration,
and how to start a business; as well as
(iii) business incubation and sources of
funding. All these activities will be developed
in close cooperation with the UNDP Office
at Belarus as well as with the WYB."
The Delegation visited
the Mogylev Region and Slavgorod City, one
of the regions that suffered enormous damage
following the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
disaster 17 years ago. Belarus is taking
practical steps to implement a new approach
through the programme "Cooperation for Rehabilitation"
(CORE) jointly with the United Nations Office
in Minsk. The UNECE was asked to explore
the possibility of joining this programme
by developing a project on social entrepreneurship
aimed at social and psychological rehabilitation
and at developing young social entrepreneurship.
For further information, please contact:
Antal Szabó
Regional Adviser on Entrepreneurship
and SMEs
United Nations Economic Commission
for Europe
Palais des Nations, Bureau 440
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Phone: + 41(0)22
917 24 71
Telefax: + 41(0)22 917 01 78
E-mail: [email protected]