Asean – Japan Workshop On SME Openns
By Myna Mohamad

Bandar Seri Begawan - Recognising the importance of financing and finance institutions to the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the two-day AseanJapan Policy Workshop on SME Development began yesterday,

It aims to enable participants to recognise the credit and loan system and the role of financial institutions in supporting business start-ups and the operation of micro and small enterprises.

It is being conducted by the Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS) of Japan in cooperation with the Entrepreneurial Development Centre of the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources. It is also a part of the Industrial Structural Improvement Project of AOTS.

The guest of honour was Effandi Hj Salleh, Head of the Entrepreneurial Development Centre.

Thirty-five representatives from Asean member’s countries except Singapore are attending.

The programme was adapted for implementation at the 13th Meeting of the AMEICC Working Group on SMEs, Supporting Industries and Rural Industries held in Bali, Indonesia last September 8, 2006.

It is being conducted as official development assistance (ODA) project of the Japanese government to support the industrial structure improvement of participating countries Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

Participants of this workshop are those engaged in the promotion and. financing of micro and small enterprises offering small loans and supporting business start-ups at banks, public organisations or the government.

Director of Inter-national Cooperation Office, National Life Finance Corporation (NLFC) of Japan, Taro Morita, conducted the workshop as the main speaker.

Topics include the trend of micro and small enterprises (MSE) finance in Asia; role of policy based finance in MSE finance in Japan and National Life Finance Corporation's enterprise model for MSE.

Senior Lecturer at ITB and Head of Business and Management Department, Dyg Hjh Ros Abdullah, discussed the role of policy based finance in MSE finance in Brunei Darussalam. Participants will also present the situation of micro and small enterprise finance in their respective countries. They are expected, at the end of the workshop, to gain knowledge on holistic approach in micro-finance system and the role of financial institutions in providing a conducive environment for the development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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