BFIF 2004 END OF YEAR REPORT - YEMEN

UNCLAS SANAA 000128 SIPDIS PLEASE PASS TO EB/CBA - DENNIS WINSTEAD. E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BEXP ABUD BTIO ETRD EINV YM ECON COM SUBJECT: BFIF 2004 END OF YEAR REPORT - YEMEN REF: A. 04 SECSTATE 238763 ¶B. 04 SANAA 228 ¶1. Embassy Sanaa expanded its outreach to local businessmen and women in FY 2004 by sponsoring the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Development and Management Workshop, held September 12 to 14, at the Sanaa Chamber of Commerce. This three-day training workshop focused on the basics of entrepreneurship, including: Business and financial planning and management, business negotiations, marketing, finance and budgets. Structured like a graduate business management course, the training seminars employed a wide variety of small group exercises on improving inventory flows to case study analyses and SME time management. ¶2. At an end of workshop feedback session, participants praised the proactive nature of the training. Several requested specialized follow-up training sessions on such issues as finance and intermediate marketing. Participants also shared their appreciation for the tangible skill-building efforts of the Embassy to help improve the business environment in Yemen. ¶3. Since the time since the SME workshop, and as a result of the positive press and publicity it garnered, government agencies and local NGOs such as the Sanaa offices of the World Bank's International Finance Corporation, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and Yemen Development Foundation, have contacted the Embassy to request information-sharing and guidance on structuring their own vocational training workshops and programs. ¶4. Conferences and workshops that are free-of-charge to participants in Yemen often experience sporadic and uneven participation and attendance. To insure serious participation, a modest registration fee schedule was devised. As a result, the workshop enjoyed an unusually consistent attendance rate among participants; 35 of the 38 registered participants completed all eight sessions in the workshop. ¶5. Below is an outline of project costs. Financial accounting is based on a currency exchange rate of 184 Yemeni Riyals (YR) to one USD. Post will transfer the remaining funds to EB/EX through the BFIF fund cite. Total BFIF Funds for Project Cost: 6,250.00 Incoming funds in registration fees: 950.22 Expenses: 2732.93 - Training and Consultancy Fee: 2415.00 - Venue provided free of charge courtesy of Sanaa Chamber of Commerce - Labor Costs: 73.37 - Renting of audio/visual equipment and other presentation supplies: 85.59 Budget Balance returned to BFIF Fund Cite: 3,835.00 Registration revenue (cash) to be transferred to BFIF Fund Cite: 791.25 ¶6. A package of documents including a detailed expenditure report, receipts, and other BFIF program information will be sent via email to BFIF Program Manager Dennis Winstead. KRAJESKI