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business consulting

international development aid

IMPLEMENTED PROJECTS > Regional Development of SMEs in Aktobe Oblast

Project Description

  • Country – Kazakhstan
  • Donor – EuropeAid
  • Duration – 24 months
  • Status – completed

The specific goals of this contract were as follows:

  • to improve the competitiveness of existing enterprises through introduction of new technology, modernised production and management techniques in particular in food-processing, distribution of goods, wholesaling and marketing;
  • to assist the development of suitable and effective business support structures;
  • to support the development of micro-enterprises (1-10 employees) in rural areas such as cottage type industries in food and non-food sectors, suppliers to extractive industries and local service providers;
  • to develop micro-finance and credit unions to provide non-bank access to finance for SMEs lacking access to commercial bank loans;
  • to develop education and training programmes in schools and technical colleges which are responsive to market needs;
  • to provide training and other HRD support, institutional development and capacity enhancement measures at all levels within the context of developing an overall support infrastructure for enterprise development within the oblast.


The activities of the project had been co-ordinated with the oblast Department for SMEs support and other relevant actors. The Project's central office was located in Aktobe, pilot activities were concentrated in Martuk and Alga rayons, where regional offices were established.

Type of services provided:

  • Technical assistance;
  • Capacity building in partner/beneficiary organisations;
  • Training;
  • Organisation and monitoring of sub-contracting to local consulting companies.

Project Photos