Brunei
Muara (The Brunei Times/ANN) - An Asean working group focused on the
development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the region are meeting
here for three days to propel the economic-related agenda agreed upon by
leaders and senior officials during the recent 19th Asean Summit in Bali.
The
29th Asean SME Working Group (SMEWG) Meeting will revolve around issues
"critical" to the implementation of the regional bloc's action plan
for SME development by 2015, said the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the
Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources (MIPR), which was the host agency of
the meeting yesterday at The Centrepoint Hotel in Gadong.
This
included cooperating in increasing SME access to finance, promoting their
presence internationally, establishing "SME service centres" in Asean
as well as building their capacity through technology and human resource
development programmes.
"The
action plan also seeks to ensure that by 2015, Asean SMEs shall be world-class
enterprises, which are capable of integration into the regional and global
supply chains, are able to take advantage of the benefits of Asean economic
community building and are operating in a policy environment that is conducive
to SME development, exports and innovation," said Md Riza DP Hj Md Yunos
in his speech.
The
deputy permanent secretary shared that Brunei was not spared from economic
challenges faced by Asean, and thus, has placed SME development in its national
agenda. The national agenda has facilitated the setting up capacity-building
programmes and incubation centres for Bruneian SMEs, while also aiming to
reduce the cost of doing business in the Sultanate.
The
government's efforts to reform the ease of doing business and establishing the
Brunei Halal Brand as a platform for SMEs to access global halal markets and
the development of the Brunei Agro-Technology Park and Eco-Aquaculture park
were among the initiatives the official noted.
"Despite
all the above measures mentioned, much more needs to be done. The economic
globalisation will shape and re-shape with increasing speed (as) science and
technology are progressing with every passing day," he said.
During
the summit in Bali last month, Asean leaders recognised that SMEs made up more
than 90 per cent of total business establishments among the 10 member states.
Therefore,
"helping enterprises, especially SMEs, to meet rapidly evolving global
market needs, remains a priority for the ASEAN governments", a MIPR-issued
press release on the 29th SMEWG said.
Also
taking place here after the 29th SMEWG will be the ninth joint consultation
between the Asean working group and dialogue partner Japan.
"With
the continuous joint consultation, strategic partnership and Japan's unwavering
support for the Asean Community building process, we hope such initiatives will
continuously support and strengthen the development and integration of
Asean," Md Riza said.
"It
is our hope that together we can collectively move forward the various issues
in the agenda and strengthen the competitive position of Asean SMEs under
current business environments and increase prospects for creating more
competitive enterprises in the region."
"I
believe that our work on SMEs will contribute to increase (the) mutual trust
and resilient economic development, regional peace, stability and
prosperity," he added.
Ubaidillah
Masli in Brunei Muara/The Brunei Times | ANN
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