CEDS and Canadian researchers sharing views on SME’s development
CEDS [21/01/2015] received a visit from researchers of the Conference Board of Canada (CboC) to discuss how to improve the trade and investment partnership between Indonesia and Canada.
CbOC is the largest research institute in Canada based in Ottawa, Toronto and Calgary. The visit was part of the planning of a five-year Canada-Indonesia Trade and Private Sector Assistance (TPSA) project funded by the Government of Canada through the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The project was aimed to support high sustainable economic growth and reduce poverty in Indonesia through increased trade and trade-enabling investment between Indonesia and Canada. The Canadian delegates seek ideas and views from CEDS on various aspects of these particular issues. Participated in the discussion also researchers from UNPAD’s Centre of Management Studies (Lembaga Manajemen) including its Center of Business Incubation.
The discussion was focused on how to increase sustainable and gender-responsive trade and investment opportunities, particularly for Indonesian SMEs; and to increase the use of trade and investment analysis by Indonesian stakeholders for expanded trade and investment partnerships between Indonesia and Canada.
Both parties agreed that improving Indonesian SMEs to be able to be exposed to international market, particularly Canada is quite a big challenge. However, given the importance of the development of SMEs in sustaining progress in poverty reduction, every potentials and opportunities need to be utilized. Research institution like CEDS can play a bigger role in building capacity in technical analysis to ensure that programs and policies designed to support SMEs are effective. CEDS experience in the capacity building to improve trade-related analytical capacity in Indonesia and Asia can also be capitalized to help achieve the objectives of this strategic project.