USAID SOUTHERN AFRICA-SAIBL II Launch
March 11, 2008; 4:30pm
Dr. Tina Dooley-Jones – Announcement of SAIBL II Awardee
Gallagher Estate; Midrand, South Africa

 Good evening.  As you have heard, USAID’s SAIBL began in 1998 as a program to assist black small and medium size enterprises to become more competitive and more productive and to grow market share.  But progress has been gradual.  As is the case with many SME development programs, even those assisted by black economic empowerment strategies or affirmative action policies, these activities are difficult to implement.  It is extremely difficult for SMEs to enter new markets and sustain business growth.  However, we are making progress towards this goal.

Despite these challenges, SAIBL I has refined its approach to SME development over the past few years.  Through the implementing parties, the Corporate Council on Africa and ECIAfrica, SAIBL I generated an astounding R10 billion or nearly $1.5 billion, and created 17,000 South African jobs.

These impressive results stem from the realization that we can’t just focus on the supply side, the SME, but we must engage the demand side as well--those larger businesses, South African and multinational corporations and government institutions that purchase products and services.  By partnering with these organizations, SAIBL I had begun to transform BEE strategies into success for both the buyer and the seller—and that’s how business grows and is sustained.  Both sides provide valuable contributions to this economy and it is this alliance that SAIBL II is building upon. 
Last year complying with standard procurement procedures, USAID re-bid the grant to implement the SAIBL project.  It was an international competition. As we all know, competition is good—it spurs innovation, reduces cost and creates greater efficiencies.  The winning bid did all of that and more.  I’m pleased to announce that the Corporate Council on Africa and its South African partners ECIAfrica and the National Business Institute have been awarded the new procurement and will implement the SAIBL II program for the next five years. 

SAIBL’s Chief of Party, John James, will now describe the key elements of the program and tell us how he and his team plan to meet the next
R10 billion mark.