ASEAN Underscores MSMEs’ Role In Regional Growth With New Inclusivity And Sustainability Drive
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 (Bernama) -- The importance of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to Southeast Asia’s economy and sustainability endeavours will be highly recognised with the launch of the ASEAN Centre of Excellence for MSMEs in Green Transition today, in conjunction with the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits.
Besides this, initiatives on inclusivity and sustainability would also include the launch of “ASEAN AHEAD: ASEAN Science, Technology, Innovation Ecosystem Foresight 2035” report, as well as the initiative on “ASEAN in 2025: Shaping an Inclusive and Sustainable Future.”
The event will be attended by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, representing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, alongside ASEAN foreign ministers and ASEAN Economic Council ministers.
ASEAN has made notable progress under its economic pillars, particularly in increasing trade and investment among themselves and with dialogue partners to make Southeast Asia a key competitive trade and investment destination.
There are reported to be 70 million MSMEs, accounting for 97.2 to 99.9 per cent of total establishments in ASEAN member states. Given their importance, initiatives focusing merely on large companies mean ASEAN trade growth will not reach its full potential.
The day’s itinerary also includes the 26th ASEAN Economic Community Council Meeting and an extended informal consultation on the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus, which will be held at the sprawling Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Concurrently, the ASEAN Economic Community Council (AECC) meeting special session on ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) and ASEAN Investment Forum 2025 (AIF2025) will also take place today.
Ministers and senior officials from ASEAN member states, together with the delegates from Timor-Leste, are also set to gather for a series of high-level meetings under the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) and ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) frameworks.
The full-day programme will kick off with the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM), which will be attended by Timor-Leste representatives and ASEAN deputy secretary-general for ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Datuk Astanah Abdul Aziz.
Later in the day, Mohamad will host a welcome dinner for ASEAN foreign ministers and delegates, which would also be attended by ASEAN secretary-general Dr Kao Kim Hourn, Timor-Leste's Foreign Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas and Finland's Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen.
The 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits will convene from Oct 26 to 28, under Malaysia’s ASEAN 2025 Chairmanship theme of ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’.
It is set to be one of the largest meetings in the bloc’s history, serving as a crucial platform to foster deeper collaboration while addressing regional and global challenges in a cohesive, inclusive manner.
Besides ASEAN leaders, US President Donald Trump, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the European Council president Antonio Costa, and new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are among over 20 global leaders scheduled to attend the high-profile event.
This is the fifth time Malaysia has assumed the ASEAN Chair since the bloc’s inception in 1967, with the previous chairmanships in 2015, 2005, 1997 and 1977.
-- BERNAMA
