Market Access Program
Economic disruption does not just reduce demand. It reshapes markets permanently. The UN Global Facility Market Access Program helps SMEs find, re-enter, and build sustainable positions in the markets where they can grow.
What the Market Access Program Does
The program provides structured support across three market access challenges that SMEs most commonly face after disruption:
Customer Re-Engagement
Customers lost during a disruption period do not automatically return when conditions improve. Many have found alternative suppliers, adopted new purchasing behaviors, or reduced their category spend permanently. The program assesses which customer segments are genuinely recoverable, develops targeted re-engagement strategies for priority accounts and segments, and provides practical support for executing those strategies.
New Market Entry
Some pre-disruption markets may not recover to the levels required to sustain the business. In these cases, the program supports targeted new market entry, including market opportunity assessment, entry strategy development, and initial connection facilitation with procurement officers, distribution partners, or anchor customers in identified target markets. New market entry through the Facility's network reduces both the time and cost of establishing new commercial relationships.
Supply Chain Integration
Disruption frequently creates opportunities for SMEs to enter supply chains of larger businesses that are actively diversifying their supplier base. The program helps qualifying SMEs identify these opportunities, prepare supplier qualification documentation, and access introductions to procurement decision-makers in relevant large enterprises and public sector buyers.
The Market Recovery Challenge
Structural Market Shifts
Research by McKinsey Global Institute on post-crisis economic recovery consistently identifies that a significant proportion of consumer and business-to-business demand shifts do not reverse after a crisis resolves. Channels that grew during the disruption period (digital commerce, remote service delivery, alternative distribution models) often maintain or extend their gains. SMEs who attempt to recover purely by returning to pre-disruption approaches frequently find that the market they are trying to re-enter no longer exists at its prior scale.
Relationship Capital Erosion
Commercial relationships require maintenance. SMEs who contracted significantly during a disruption period often find that buyer relationships have weakened, that formerly loyal accounts have moved their spend, and that the relationship capital they built over years needs to be rebuilt from a lower base. Relationship re-establishment is both a strategic priority and a time-intensive process. The program's advisor network accelerates this process by providing introductions and facilitated meetings that would otherwise take months to arrange independently.
Competitive Position Changes
Disruption reshuffles competitive positions. Some competitors exit the market entirely. Others emerge stronger, having used the disruption period to consolidate. Understanding the new competitive landscape accurately, rather than relying on pre-disruption assumptions, is a prerequisite for any effective market re-entry strategy. The program's market assessment component provides this landscape clarity as the foundation for market strategy development.
Markets and Sectors Served
The Market Access Program has active support capability across manufacturing, agribusiness, services, hospitality and tourism, retail, and technology sectors, with geographic coverage spanning Africa, South and Southeast Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and the Pacific. Contact us to confirm program availability in your sector and region.
FAQ
Market Access FAQ
Does the program provide introductions to specific buyers?
Yes, where relevant and appropriate. The program maintains a network of procurement contacts across multiple sectors and geographies. Introductions are facilitated for qualifying businesses with a clear value proposition and appropriate readiness for buyer engagement.
Can the program help with export market entry?
Yes. Export market development is within the program's scope for qualifying businesses. This includes export readiness assessment, target market selection, regulatory requirement navigation, and buyer identification in destination markets.
How long does the market access support engagement last?
Market access engagements are typically 6 to 12 months, reflecting the time required for meaningful commercial relationship development. Short-term engagements of 3 months are available for businesses with narrow, specific needs such as a single procurement introduction or a targeted market assessment.
Apply for Market Access Support
Submit an expression of interest and a regional coordinator will contact you within 5 business days to discuss your market situation and program eligibility.
Apply for Support