Indonesia proposes SME-Based Culture and Creativity

Indonesia proposes the development of new initiatives in empowering businesses, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), namely through the efforts of the industrial development of SMEs based on culture and creativity. 


This proposal was submitted in view of the majority of APEC members such as Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Peru, and Vietnam and some other APEC countries are very rich with cultural heritage. 

"By raising the cultural heritage through the creative industry will make as a source of competitiveness for SMEs, especially for member economies such as Indonesia in the face of openness APEC which will take full effect in 2020," said Meliadi Sembiring, Chairman of the Indonesian delegation in the Working Group of SME APEC to 42 ( SMEWG the 42th APEC Meeting) held in Ho Chi Minh City, April 27 to 28, 2016.

According Meliadi who is also Deputy Supervision Ministry of Cooperatives (Kemenkop) and SMEs, lifting elements of culture and creativity as a source of competitiveness for SMEs is intended to SMEs from most APEC member economies that are growing, can compensate for the advancement of SMEs from most APEC member economies which have advanced were generally based technology.

Opportunity Start-Up

Meanwhile Hasan Jauhari, expert staff Menkop and SMEs, said Indonesian SMEs must also be able to take advantage of advances in information technology (IT) in the economic cooperation between the APEC region's countries. SMEs can easily do business across the country's economy in the APEC region.  

For example, today is pretty big opportunities for SMEs starter (start-up), which is developing a smart phone-based IT applications. "Support is needed so that SMEs can develop IT-based, for example, with increased internet speeds, reduced rental costs of hosting and the ease of obtaining protection of intellectual property," said Hasan Jauhari.

In realizing inclusive and sustainable development for SMEs and ensure the readiness of SMEs to face the challenges of the 21st century, according to Meliadi Sembiring, there are four priorities in this plan, namely the development of entrepreneurship, innovation and the development of a digital economy based SMEs. Second, financing and capacity development of SMEs. 

Third, the development of inclusive business environment that encourages the development of SMEs. Kempat, penembangan market access for SMEs in order to facilitate SME trade in the APEC region.

The next meeting of APEC SME KK (to 43) will be held in Lima, Peru on September 7 to 8, 2016. After the event, also held meeting of APEC SME Ministers to 23 (the 23rd SME Ministers'Meeting) on ​​9 September at the same venue.

Source: kompasbussiness