APEC needs to identify trade, investment barriers<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The working group on small and medium sized
\nenterprises within the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
\nforum yesterday ended its two-day meeting with recommendations
\nfor intensive study of trade and investment barriers in the
\nregion.<\/p>\n
\"The group, involving 72 officials and experts from the 17
\nAPEC members, has assigned a special committee on trade and
\ninvestment to identify both barriers and general policies related
\nto the small and medium businesses in the region,\" Minister of
\nCooperatives and Small Enterprises Subiakto Tjakrawerdaya told
\nreporters after closing the meeting<\/p>\n
The minister said the studies' proceedings will be submitted
\nto senior officials meetings scheduled to be held in May and
\nOctober. These meetings will seek to hammer out agreements on
\nsupporting smaller scale business in the region.<\/p>\n
\"We hope that the meeting of trade ministers in October in
\nJapan will formulate a final draft on the cooperation for the
\nnext APEC summit in Indonesia in November,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Subiakto also said the group recommended that the APEC
\nsecretariat begin collecting information on smaller businesses.<\/p>\n
\"The secretariat is expected to exchange information among the
\nmembers,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Success<\/p>\n
He also said that the working group is committed to
\npublicizing the successes of governments in developing small and
\nmedium businesses.<\/p>\n
\"The successful scheme can be a model for other members to
\ndevelop small and medium enterprises,\" he said, adding that
\nIndonesia will present its nucleus-estate-and-smallholders scheme
\nfor plantation development.<\/p>\n
In addition, the group called on the International Monetary
\nFund (IMF), World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC)
\nand Asian Development Bank (ADB), to realign their policies to
\nfavor financing for small and medium businesses.<\/p>\n
\"The hard problem faced by small and medium enterprises in the
\nregion is the availability of funds. But, we can see that almost
\n80 percent of the business in the region is generated by small
\nentities,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The meeting recommended that APEC work towards rectifying the
\nproblem.<\/p>\n
The group also urged advanced countries to transfer technology
\nto the region's small businesses, he said. (fhp)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/apec-needs-to-identify-trade-investment-barriers-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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