KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 18): Malaysia via the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDAC) will lead the discussion on developing a strategic document for post-Boracay Action Agenda to Globalise Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (BAA-MSMEs).

The BAA-MSMEs, a Philippine-led initiative launched at APEC 2015, aims to encourage the participation of MSMEs in global and regional trade.

MEDAC secretary-general Datuk Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi said the document would be tabled to Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) members in the 50th Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Working Group Meeting on May 4-8 this year in Los Angeles, the United States and at the APEC Policy Dialogue on SMEs and Entrepreneurship Framework on July 7-8 this year in Kuala Lumpur.

“The strategic document will then be presented at APEC SME Week 2020 on Sept 21-24 this year, before being presented to APEC’s Head of States in November this year,” she told reporters in a press conference at the APEC Workshop on Young Entrepreneurs Kick-Off here today.

She added that the document would focus on entreprenuer development, digitalisation, social agenda, as well as social entrepreneurship.

Meanwhile, SME Corporation Malaysia (SME Corp) chief executive officer Noor Azmi Mat Said said the APEC Workshop on Young Entrepreneurs Kick-Off is the first programme organised for APEC 2020 by SME Corp as an agency under MEDAC.

He said the workshop comprises three key sessions — panel discussions, mentoring session and pitching session with potential investors — aimed at enhancing entrepreneurial skills and leadership among MSMEs and providing a platform for networking opportunities among them in the APEC region.

“The workshop aims to facilitate young entrepreneurs in the APEC economies to share the issues and challanges that they are facing as well as identify potential solutions including funding, business linkage and business knowledge,” he said in his welcoming remarks.

The two-day workshop, which kicks off today, has attracted 150 participants from nine countries including Mexico, Peru, Russia and Papua New Guinea.