News

Digital Innovations for Sustainable Future to Support ASEAN SMEs

08 August 2022
Speakers during ā€œSMEsā€™ Digital Innovations towards Sustainable Futureā€ topic on 8/8/2022. [GIZ / Diella Dachlan]

The market talks and virtual business matchmaking event focused on the ā€œSMEsā€™ Digital Innovations towards Sustainable Futureā€ topic. SMEs and businesses in ASEAN and G20 countries delved deeper into how the digital environment supports cross-border trade. Moreover, it helped the curated SMEs to familiarize themselves with virtual cross-border business activities.

Speaking in the opening, Dr Ilham Akbar Habibie MBA, President of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Indonesia and Hanung Harimba Rachman, Deputy Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs, encouraged business actors to use the ASEAN Access MATCH portal. Both emphasized the importance of digitalisation for SMEs to expand their network and market for more significant business opportunities.

“The ASEAN Access MATCH promotes the ASEAN Access digital ecosystems. Through ASEAN Access MATCH, Indonesia assists its SMEs to connect with potential buyers,” said Harimba Rachman in his remarks, urging stronger collaboration and coordination between network partners and national focal points.

The market talks, attended by 86 participants, shared experiences and insight from business practitioners and experts concerning innovation in digitalisation. The virtual matchmaking via the ASEAN Access MATCH feature brought together 24 SMEs the agriculture, wellness, and beauty to meet potential buyers and investors across the region and from the G20 countries.

The event is a joint effort of the Indonesia Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs together with the network partners BerSama, Lingkar Temu Kabupaten Lestari (LTKL) – Koalisi Ekonomi Membumi (KEM, and International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Indonesia. It received support with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the GIZ ASEAN SMEs project.

The Representatives from the Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs chatted with the network partners and GIZ. During the G20 Side Event: ā€œDigital Economy to Support Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Bali (8/8/2022), the exhibition was set up to showcase products by the selected SMEs. [GIZ / Aris Nata]

Contact person
Yacinta Esti Wulan Wahyu Jati ā€” Technical Advisor
ASEAN SMEs

Key buzzwords
matchmaking, aseanaccess, digitalisation, asean, business