USAID has long supported Jordan’s tourism sector, which is the country’s largest economic sector, the second largest earner of foreign exchange after remittances, and the largest generator of private sector employment. The project worked in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on initiatives to further develop the country’s tourism sector and bring several tourism initiatives,…
Following the success of USAID’s Economic Policy Reform and Competitiveness (EPRC) project, the government of Mongolia agreed to continue its ambitious reform agenda through support and partnership with USAID. In June 2011, Chemonics International began implementing the $14 million follow-on project, Business Plus Initiative (BPI). BPI was designed to improve Mongolia’s business enabling environment, build…
Success in the fashion industry, in any country, requires a delicate balance between artistic ability and keen business skills. As a designer, you need to not only understand what your market is and what customer you are targeting but what trends are emerging and how your personality will come out in your collections. The “toolkit”…
Since the USAID Moldova CEED program began working in the textile and apparel (T&A) sectors in 2005 through implementation of CEED II in 2015, there has been an ongoing initiative to move Moldovan textile and apparel companies to higher-value-added FOB, private, and own-label product schemes. Advancement to higher value-added manufacturing has been the key to sustainable, long-term competitiveness in the…
Ibrahim Osta is the chief of party for the Building Economic Sustainability Through Tourism (BEST) program in Jordan, which focuses on improving the country’s tourism sector and ensuring that Jordan has the skilled workforce needed to keep the sector competitive. The BEST program works at the intersection of tourism and economic development. Could you elaborate…
The Maximizing Agricultural Revenue and Key Enterprises in Targeted Sites (MARKETS II) project trained master trainers and individuals from national and international organizations, including their beneficiaries. The project also targeted agricultural value chain segments that are more favorable for the involvement of woman and youth, such as service providers, processing, and micro-enterprises. The value of…
The Maximizing Agricultural Revenue and Key Enterprises in Targeted Sites (MARKETS II) was USAID/Nigeria’s flagship project under Feed the Future (FTF). It aimed to sustainably improve the performance, income, nutrition, and food security of poor Nigerian rural farmers or smallholders in an environmentally friendly manner. Key objectives included smallholder farmer access to increased income, ready…
Moldova’s IT sector has been seen as a catalyst for economic development with opportunity for quick growth, but assistance was needed. The sector suffered from poor infrastructure, an inexperienced labor force, and was in need of improvements to management practices. USAID’s CEED and CEED II activities have shown that the more Moldova invests in its…
On December 4, Secretary of State John Kerry made a brief trip to Moldova, during which he visited a local winery and spoke about the country’s economic future. After talks with top officials from the Moldovan government, Kerry stopped by the Cricova Wine Cellar, where he participated in the launch of a new national wine…