Bali, Indonesia, 16 November 2011
Amidst the meetings among Ministers, Ambassadors, and members of the diplomatic community, the gathering at the Bali International Convention Centre (BICC) stood out for a unique difference. The business community and the private sector were prominent, at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ABIS) 2011. The occasion also saw the official launch of three official publications by the ASEAN Secretariat – namely, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Handbook for Business; the Directory of Outstanding ASEAN SMEs (small and medium enterprises) 2011; and the ASEAN Investment Report (AIR) 2011.
The AEC Handbook for Business is a business-friendly publication, aimed at creating greater awareness from the private sector, on the developments and progress in the implementation of the AEC. The ASEAN Secretariat will publish 1,000 copies of the Handbook in paper form, and another 2,000 copies will be produced in CDs. About 300 copies of each version were distributed at ABIS 2011.
“The participation and collaboration of all stakeholders – particularly the private sector – is crucial to the creation of a strong foundation for the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015,” said the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Surin Pitsuwan. “The private sector as the main driver of regional and global supply chains, plays a critical role in ensuring the successful realisation of ASEAN as a single market and production base,” he added.
This is also true of the Small and Medium Enterprises or SMEs, which represent the biggest employer in ASEAN.
Their hardwork and contribution to the economic well-being of the regional group, were acknowledged by the Directory of Outstanding ASEAN SMEs 2011: In collaboration with the ASEAN SME Agencies Working Group (SMEWG). The who’s who of ASEAN SMEs contains a list of nearly 1,000 top SMEs from all ten ASEAN Member States (AMS) – complete with contact details by industries and sectors. It seeks to open up the linkages among the regional SMEs as well as between them and the regional and global supply chains and production networks.
“The SME Directory also contains an overview of the policy initiatives for SMEs in AMS, and incorporates information on Free Trade Agreements between ASEAN and its Dialogue Partners, to build awareness and to support the transformation of ASEAN SMEs as world-class enterprises by 2015,” said Mr Sundram Pushpanathan, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Economic Community.” In addition, the SME Directory provides information on SME Service centres in all ten ASEAN Member States. These centers provide comprehensive development support services, such as training in managerial and technological capabilities for SMEs.
The launch of the three publications were graced by Indonesian Minister of Trade Gita Wirjawan, Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Mari Elka Pangestu, as well as Mr Pushpanathan.
The ASEAN Secretariat published 300 copies of the publications and 100 CDs; of which only 200 books would be available at the ABIS 2011.
“Recognising the need to engage the business community in the process of building a dynamic AEC, ASEAN Heads of Governments have engaged actively in dialogues with the private sector, both in their home countries and at the sidelines of ASEAN Summits,” Dr Surin pointed out. “Various other ASEAN forums and activities have been created for the participation of the private sector, such as the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ dialogue with business groups and industry associations in the region, as well as with foreign ASEAN-based chambers of commerce and industry associations.”
As economic uncertainties loomed large over the horizon, many in ASEAN – officials as well as private businesses – are convinced of the need to work closer together, and tap the greater synergy to ride out any economic storms.
The ASEAN Investment Report (AIR) 2011 is aimed at raising ASEAN’s profile as a regional grouping in attracting investments. It provides an assessment of developments and trends in regional and global FDI scene, an analysis of the performance of ASEAN against this backdrop and a future outlook for FDI in the region. The Report was a collaborative effort of the ASEAN Integration Monitoring Office (AIMO) and the Services and Investment Division of the ASEAN Economic Community Department in the ASEAN Secretariat.
The Report also highlights ASEAN’s favorable performance despite the recent global financial crisis, which indicates the region’s resilience and favourable economic conditions.
“The Report also examines the challenges and risks, as well as opportunities for ASEAN. It reviews the current policy and institutional environment in ASEAN and how these have affected ASEAN’s competitiveness vis-à-vis other regions,” said Mr Pushpanathan. “The Report offers some recommendations of what ASEAN must do to navigate through the challenges, and achieve its regional economic integration objective. “
The ASEAN Secretariat had published 500 copies, of which 200 copies of publications would be distributed at the ABIS 2011.
