Promoting Indonesian MSMEs to Go Global, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Finance Organize EMPRETEC UNCTAD Training

Thepresidentpost.id - Jakarta, Indonesia - In an effort to strengthen the role of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) as a national economic pillar, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has successfully established a strategic partnership with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). This collaboration is focused on enhancing the capacity of MSMEs through the EMPRETEC Training Workshop (ETW) activities (14/12).

​"The EMPRETEC UNCTAD training is expected to help enhance the capacity, productivity, management, competitiveness, and networking of national MSME actors to be ready to penetrate international markets," explained Ardian Wicaksono, Senior Diplomat at MoFA, in his opening remarks for EMPRETEC UNCTAD.

MSMEs in Indonesia play a significant role in the national economy, contributing as much as 60.5% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employing 97% of the workforce. To support this immense potential, MoFA continues to work towards supporting MSMEs through improving export access, expanding networks, and collaboration to enhance the capacity and competitiveness of national MSME actors.

As a concrete effort to support the strengthening of MSME capacities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has successfully facilitated cooperation with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in enhancing the capacities of Indonesian MSMEs through the EMPRETEC Training Workshop (ETW). The ETW event took place in Surabaya from December 11 to 16, 2023, through collaboration between MoFA and the Directorate General of Customs and Excise of the Ministry of Finance.

EMPRETEC is a flagship program of UNCTAD designed to enhance the capacities of MSMEs and has been implemented in 42 countries. The ETW was attended by 31 national MSME actors from various regions of Indonesia, who have been under the guidance of the Ministry of Finance and were selected through a rigorous process by UNCTAD.

The ETW training is one of the implementations of the MoU between MoFA and the Ministry of Finance in the execution of economic diplomacy, signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Finance on August 16, 2023, especially concerning efforts to support the Indonesian MSMEs Go Global program.

As a follow-up, MoFA will continue to facilitate national MSME players, including those mentored by the Ministry of Finance who have completed the ETW, to enter international markets. Through collaboration with various national stakeholders, MoFA will organise virtual meetings between national MSME players and Indonesian Representatives abroad to map market potentials and connect them with potential buyers and investors.