"In post-pandemic (era), it is very important to support programs of digitalization, financial access, and women's participation in the revival of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs)," inter-institution relations expert staff at the Co-operatives and SMEs Ministry, Luhur Pradjarto, said here on Monday.
According to him, the three recommendations are urgently needed for supporting the digitization of SMEs, data and cybersecurity, and a comprehensive medium- and long-term plan to boost the development of SMEs post-pandemic.
The cooperation between the two ministries was in the framework of holding the APEC Workshop 2022, which focused on discussing a recovery strategy for MSMEs after the pandemic.
The activity featured speakers from governments, the private sector, associations, and organizations.
The workshop was divided into seven discussion sessions, and included the sharing of results of the Svara Institute study entitled Policy Response to Stimulate MSMEs' Demand in the Wake of COVID-19 Pandemic in APEC Economies.
The discussion resulted in the determination of three main issues related to the policy needs of MSMEs post-pandemic—innovation, market access, as well as marketing and sales.
On a separate occasion, the Co-operatives Ministry's expert staff for productivity and competitiveness, Eddy Satria, said that the ministry has carried out efforts to encourage the transformation of MSMEs from informal to formal entities, the utilization of digitalization, entry of SMEs into the global supply chain, and the modernization of co-operatives.
"The Indonesian government has taken the necessary steps to support MSMEs in the pandemic era through the Micro Business Productive Assistance program, special allocations in the procurement of government goods and services, allocation of 30 percent of public space for SMEs, and promotion and market access through SMESCO Indonesia," Satria explained.
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Translator: M Alatas, Kenzu
Editor: Sri Haryati
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