The efforts to foster integration of Malaysian SMEs into the global value chain is about to reach a new milestone with the inaugural networking session between the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDAC) and diplomatic representation from seventeen (17) Arab countries namely Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, UAE and Yemen.
The Minister of MEDAC, Tan Sri Noh Omar delivered his Keynote Address at the event, signifying the important role played by entrepreneurs and SMEs as the lifeblood of economies around the world.
“Acknowledging the importance of SMEs in our economies, we should continue to foster, strengthen, and deepen bilateral economic, trade and investment linkages, with SMEs taking the centre stage,” he said.
The high-profile event was organised by SME Corp. Malaysia, an agency under the Ministry to promote and strengthen economic cooperation with the Arab countries specifically on entrepreneurship and internationalisation of SMEs.
To kickstart the collaboration, SME Corp. Malaysia seeks to establish a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with two of its counterparts, namely the SMEs Development Agency of Oman and the Small Enterprise Development Fund of Yemen to strengthen bilateral relations related to the development of SMEs.
Through this formalisation of cooperation, SMEs from the countries will benefit from the exchange of information and implementation of activities in promoting SMEs which will be lined up in the near future.
Against this backdrop, the Chief Executive Officer of SME Corp. Malaysia, Rizal Nainy informed that international buyers from the Middle East as well other parts of the world now can easily source for the products and services of Malaysian SMEs through MatchME platform.
-NIAGATIMES
