Foreign Trade

The Francophonie comprises a linguistic area of 300 million people and a huge economic area that generates 16 percent of the world's GDP.

Experts predict that between 500 and 700 million people will live in this language area in 2050. The francophone growth markets, which range from France, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Canada to a majority of the West and Central African states as well as several countries in the Caribbean, offer German SMEs enormous opportunities for expansion.

That is why BVMW launched Le Mittelstand BVMW in 2017. Le Mittelstand BVMW, as a German-Francophone entrepreneur network, has set itself the goal of supporting companies from Germany and Francophone countries in entering the respective target market and, as a strong partner and door opener, offers a platform for establishing business contacts.

Our focus is on the European francophone countries: France, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg, as well as Monaco and Canada.

The Mittelstand Alliance Africa (MAA) is the German-African Entrepreneur Network of Germany's largest voluntary association of small and medium-sized businesses, the BVMW, with a focus on Africa. Through a bundled range of consulting and support services, we support German companies that want to become economically active on African continent. For optimal support, we have numerous foreign offices and partners with our strong network in Germany as well as abroad.

The SME Alliance Africa addresses 3 main target groups:

• African companies or their branches in Germany that want to strengthen their competitiveness in the national market
• German companies that want to develop their activities in African countries
• African companies that want to enter the German market

The support of medium-sized entrepreneurs from Germany is needed to build up a local SME sector in Senegal. President of Senegal Macky Sall, therefore, invited BVMW member companies to Dakar in October 2019 as part of a delegation trip to actively tap into the diverse potential of his country. After the trip, the Task Force Senegal was established between GIZ and BVMW in November 2019.

Together with the Special Initiative on Training and Employment of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, among others, BVMW launched the Task Force Senegal at the end of 2019. The cooperation aims to simultaneously create new markets and production sites for SMEs, as well as economic growth and employment in Senegal.

Meetings and delegation trips

At the Taskforce's monthly meetings, participating companies gain comprehensive insights into the various industries and business opportunities in Senegal (including agriculture and food, construction, renewable energy, water and wastewater). Around 50 companies regularly attend the Task Force meetings. In addition, four successful delegation trips with a total of 17 companies have been completed so far.

Market studies

In addition, implementing market studies represents an important part of the activities of the BVMW-GIZ cooperation. In three studies, German companies (BVMW members) analysed the building construction and precast concrete construction sector in Senegal, identified weaknesses and worked out opportunities for German SMEs. The studies also served to prepare specific project plans.

Education and employment

Together with the Senegalese start-up association SenStartUp, BVMW member Campus Founders is committed to the Senegalese education sector. The goal of the Heilbronn Start-Up Center's project: to develop digital solutions with which young Senegalese can gain practical work experience. This makes them better prepared for the job market or starting a business. The project is funded by the Business Scouts for Development programme on behalf of the BMZ.

The newly established Task Force Tunisia aims to make German companies aware of the potential of the Tunisian market and to support the development of local SMEs in Tunisia. To this end, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the Mittelstand Alliance Africa (MAA) of the BVMW have linked their networks.

Together with the Special Initiative Training and Employment on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), MAA supports German companies on their path to Tunisia, in matching with relevant Tunisian companies and in jointly establishing and expanding business in the region. This is done through events, market studies and delegation trips.

Events

In bimonthly meetings, entrepreneurs are informed about all important information on market entry and business opportunities in Tunisia as well as on suitable funding and financing instruments of German development cooperation. In addition, the meetings serve to exchange experiences between companies and to network with relevant players from business and politics.

Delegation trips and market studies

As part of this cooperation, the Special Initiative Training and Employment also provides financial resources to support the preparation of developmentally effective project proposals by German and Tunisian SMEs with suitable instruments – including delegation trips and market studies.

Through the delegation trips, small and medium-sized companies gain an insight into the opportunities of the Tunisian market and are supported in building a local network. At the same time, Tunisian SMEs are strengthened by putting them in touch with potential business partners. The aim is both to promote Tunisia as a location for local value creation (e.g. production of cables, electrical and plastic parts, steering wheels, circuits or automotive-related IT services) and to use the Tunisian market as a "sourcing market" for the import of parts.

The delegation trip to Tunisia will support participating companies in this process:

• Identify cooperation potentials
• Develop specific project plans that have an impact on development
• Establish and expand contacts with potential local project and cooperation partners (including relevant political actors, Tunisian companies, associations)
• Identify and leverage potential synergies with relevant development cooperation projects in Tunisia.

Become a Task Force member

If you are interested in the (North) African market, you are welcome to join the Task Force Tunisia. We will support you in entering the Tunisian market and connect you with local business partners. The automotive and aerospace supply industries are particularly in focus. Are you interested in learning more?

In cooperation with OWC Verlag, BVMW has developed the AfrikaContact magazine, which is published semi-annually. In it, you will find the latest news from African politics, business and the activities of the SME Alliance Africa.

The vision of AfrikaContact

• Reporting on Africa as well as insights into the political, economic and financial potentials and problems of the continent
• The German reference for business information on Africa
• Supporting German companies in accessing African markets through an optimal understanding of the various local African realities, challenges and opportunities offered by the continent.
• Africa as a preferred business destination for German companies by providing a modern vision of the continent
• Promoting German expertise and know-how in Africa to facilitate networking between companies and partners in Africa and Germany

The current issue, published in April 2024, focuses on Eastern Africa & Kenya and market opportunities for German economic players.

PDF Download: https://www.mwm-medien.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/AfrikaContact_1-2024_ENG_DIGITAL.pdf

Establish valuable business connections with the German-Latin American business network of the BVMW.

Founded in 2024, the Mittelstandsinitiative Latin America, part of Germany’s largest association of small and medium-sized enterprises – Der Mittelstand. BVMW e.V. – focuses on the countries of Central and South America. Our goal is to support German companies that wish to engage in business activities in this region. We achieve this through targeted knowledge transfer, the establishment of valuable contacts with our partners from business and politics, as well as the organization of specialized events and B2B meetings. In close collaboration with our foreign representatives in the region and cooperation partners, we promote dialogue to strengthen German-Latin American economic relations.