Bandar Seri Begawan - The Apec Smes ministers concluded their two-day meeting in Singapore yesterday and adopted a Joint Ministerial Statement, which highlighted the progress of all the work APEC has done since they last met in Chiclayo, Peru in 2008.

Aligned to the major theme of the meeting "Helping SMEs Access Global Markets and Overcome Trade Barriers", the ministers discussed issues relating to "Developing market research and market access capabilities" and how to "Help our SMEs position for growth after the crisis". The ministers had also given support to the efforts in "the implementation of the APEC SMEWG Strategic Plan".

Under the work to help SMEs access global markets and overcome trade barriers, the Ministers agreed to the proposal to carry out a feasibility study on the establishment of an APEC SME Market Research and Capability Development Centre (SMRC) to serve as a regional enabler to assist SMEs to access global markets by bringing together all APEC initiatives and programmes, as a platform for joint business collaboration, and more importantly, provide regional market research and market intelligence and develop core market access capabilities.

Brunei Darussalam will participate in this feasibility study, which is expected to conclude by June 2010 after which a recommendation will be submitted in the next APEC SMEs Ministerial Meeting.

The ministers welcomed Singapore's APEC Business Fellowship, an in-market executive training programme that is designed to expose the SMEs to practical business practices.

Other initiatives, which the ministers supported, include the "Workshop on developing trading houses for strengthening SMEs global market network" and the "Study on export technical assistance models".

Brunei Darussalam supported all these initiatives in light of its own drive to help the SMEs venture out in the global market particularly through building their capacities to compete and benefit from the opportunities.

On helping SMEs position for growth after the crisis, the ministers welcomed continuing efforts to resist protectionism. The ministers attached importance to the efforts to improve such as the ease of doing business and supply chain connectivity. The ministers also welcomed the "Principles and Checklist of Financial Crisis Management for APEC SMEs", which would also be of practical use to Brunei Darussalam's SMEs in addressing the crisis preparedness and in developing response strategies.

On addressing the challenges posed by the H1N1 pandemic, the ministers welcomed workshop to train trainers to increase SMEs preparedness.

The ministers also welcomed establishment of APEC SME Crisis Management Centre, which is to coordinate expertise from APEC members to provide SMEs with value-added services in crisis monitoring, consultation, training and analysis.

Brunei Darussalam expressed its support to all these work that would indeed help SMEs to be more prepared and resilient in times of crisis.

On implementing the strategic plan, the ministers encouraged that all projects be aligned to the six following priority areas which include Enhancing Business Environment, Building Management Capabilities and Promoting Entrepreneurship, Market Access and Internationalisation, Irmovation, Financing and Awareness of Sustainable Business Practices.

In this regard, the ministers agreed with the idea to assign economies to champion the implementation of those priority areas such as Business Environment (Malaysia, Mexico), Management Capability and Entrepreneurship (Chinese Taipei; Thailand), Market Access and Internationalisation (China, Singapore), Innovation (Korea, Peru, USA) and Financing (Indonesia, Japan).

The ministers welcomed Japan's offer to host next year's APEC SME Ministerial Meeting in Gifu City, Japan, in 2010 with the theme "Strategy for Reinvigorating Economic Growth with Dual Engines: SME and Asia-Pacific Economy" with the following three sub-themes: Improving business environment for SMEs; Enhancing business support programmes for SMEs; and Facilitating SMEs innovation and access to global markets.

Brunei Darussalam's delegation to the Meeting was headed by Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah bin Hj Abdul Wahab, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources.

At the Meeting, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources shared some of the initiatives that have been developed and implemented in Brunei Darussalam to create an enabling environment for SMEs to take on the export markets. Several incentives were offered to local SMEs ready to export including: Introduction of export financing schemes; Exposing and promoting SMEs through the SME promotion programmes; Encour aging and facilitating SMEs in having JV with foreign companies and creating export-based Brunei Halal Framework by partnering with foreign companies and institutions.

The Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources also shared that Brunei Darussalam was affected by H1N1, on one hand, and on the other, not as badly affected by the global downturn largely due to the fact that it is an economy largely dependent on Government Spending and Oil and Gas Export. Many infrastructural Public and Private Sector investment projects were launched recently making Brunei less vulnerable to these external shocks.

The construction industry was starting to pick up, spearheaded by the construction of an export-based methanol plant which started in 2007, resumption of highway projects and infrastructure projects related to the ambitious plan by the government to address immediately the issue of food security, by being more self-sufficient in rice and other food commodities. The Government has also launched several other initiatives like:

Export-based Brunei Halal Brand and the AgroTech Park at Rimba, Housing Projects to give every Bruneian an ownership of a home and the plan to build a Deep Water Port and an integrated Industrial Complex in Pulau Muara Besar.

All these would result in stronger economy and domestic demand for credit and financing. All these would also offer huge business opportunities for our fledgling SMEs whilst providing the necessary backbone to Brunei's ambition to develop and grow Islamic Financial Infrastructure.

To complement all the initiatives, the Deputy Minister also shared on the initiative in commercialising the Heart of Borneo (HoB) project through an integrated eco-Tourism package on the Island of Borneo with Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia and Kalimantan in Indonesia. Brunei will also leverage on its excellent position as one of the top five countries in the world with most forestry coverage through Carbon Trading. These will not only benefit our green SMEs and our rural community but also lend a hand in our global fight against climate change. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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