The Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI), under the chairmanship of Ambassador Jan Marten Schalkwijk, Permanent Representative of Suriname to the OAS, and the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI) will convene a regular meeting on August 26, 2025 focused on Promoting Ease of Doing Business: MSME Formalization and Trade Facilitation.

The session is part of the ongoing consultative process to develop a Roadmap for Capacity Building to Improve Trade in the Americas, rooted in the priorities and experiences of OAS Member States. This initiative recognizes that advancing trade requires strategic investments in human capital and institutional systems to ensure inclusive and sustainable development across the region.

Following the July meeting—which identified regional constraints and opportunities—the August session will launch the first of four thematic dialogues. These discussions will focus on building institutional and human capacities for trade and are intended to:

• Generate actionable recommendations;
• Promote good practices; and
• Build consensus around key elements for the proposed roadmap.

This month’s session on "Promoting Ease of Doing Business: MSME Formalization and Trade Facilitation" responds to calls from Member States to reduce barriers for MSMEs and foster a more enabling environment for inclusive trade. It also builds on past CIDI discussions on productivity, innovation, and physical connectivity—while aligning with broader OAS efforts to support regional integration and economic development.

Concept Note CIDI/INF. 668/25 rev.1 

CIDI Workplan for the Period July-December 2025: “Capacity Building to Improve Trade in the Americas as a Pillar of Inclusive and Sustainable Development.”