Azmin: MSMEs must adopt critical digital skills
15 Sep 2022
Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the region must be equipped with critical digital skills, including upskilling and reskilling, to ensure continuity of growth, says Senior Minister and International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.
Stressing on the importance of capacity building for MSMEs, he said trade policies in Asean such as the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) need to be reviewed to strengthen supply chain connectivity in the region and for the benefit of the people and MSMEs.
“The proposed revision and upgrading of ATIGA must be forward looking, comprehensive and more responsive to global and regional development to include new challenges such as green technology and digital economy.
“It must also be relevant to private sectors and businesses in order for the real benefits of such advancement to be enjoyed by the people, particularly the MSMEs and the youth,” Azmin said at the 54th Asean economic ministers’ meeting and related meetings in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
He said it is important for Asean’s sectoral bodies to continue working together amidst the uncertainties of the global economic environment to complete the initiatives identified under the Asean Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF).
The scope of the ACRF needs to be expanded as the lessons learnt during its implementation will significantly aid in the formulation of a resilient Asean Post-2025 Vision agenda, he said.
For higher supply chain resilience in the Asean region, the minister proposed the introduction of a regional stockpile initiative.
The initiative would entail the keeping of a national stockpile of critical products by each member country.
The stockpile products are those that a particular country has comparative advantage relative to other trading partners, he said.
Source: The Star
