Hakim noted that amid the COVID-19 pandemic, MSMEs can serve as the drivers for the nation's economic recovery. The contribution of MSMEs to the gross domestic product reaches 61 percent and as much as 97 percent of the national workforce is also absorbed by the MSME sector.
"MSMEs are relatively able to survive in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, although most of them are also affected," he noted in a statement here on Wednesday.
The vice president’s Special Staff team had earlier visited the Cooperative and Small and Medium Enterprise Marketing Service Institute (LLP KUKM) of the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs at the Smesco Building on Sept 7.
The visit was a follow-up to Vice President Ma'ruf Amin's mandate delivered at the commemoration of National MSME Day on August 12, 2021, in the hopes of MSMEs potentially becoming the key drivers of the nation's economic recovery.
Related news: Digitalization of MSMEs to facilitate economic recovery: VP
Hakim pointed out that expediting MSME development was one of the focus areas of the vice president in addition to encouraging the halal industry and sharia economy.
"I see that Smesco has made several changes that are getting better to boost national MSMEs," he remarked.
Meanwhile, President Director of LLP-KUKM Leonard Theosabrata drew attention to a new concept of development and marketing to scale up the MSME sector.
Theosabrata is eyeing to upgrade 100 MSMEs by 2024, comprising 80 percent of small businesses that move up to the medium scale and 20 percent of medium businesses to grow to the large scale.
To achieve the target, Smesco is ready to promote MSMEs' products by organizing a gallery of superior products equipped with digital and banking services, logistics, innovation facilities, and laboratories.
Related news: MSMEs condition improves in Q2 of 2021: minister
Related news: Minister sees cooperatives, MSMEs driving economic recovery
Translator: Subagyo, Resinta S
Editor: Suharto
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