New video breaks down how to improve WBG support to small and medium-sized enterprises.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in all economies, providing an estimated two-thirds of all jobs in the European Union alone. As economies grow, the importance of SMEs grows too. What's more, SMEs are a big business for the World Bank Group, which in recent years has committed an annual average of $3 billion to directly supporting SMEs.So, determining what works, what doesn't, and how we can do better is critical to effective future development assistance.

Last year IEG released Evaluation of the World Bank Group Experience with Targeted Support to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, 2006-12.  Our latest video outlines the report's findings, laying out the challenges in providing aid to SMEs, and summarizing our recommendations that are designed to help make the WBG's interventions more catalytic.

Also See: The Big Business of Small Enterprise (blog)