Better Local Business Environments for Pandemic Recovery in Southeast Asia
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of Southeast Asian economies, accounting for an average of 97% of all businesses and 69% of the national labor force across the region. However, SMEs face unique challenges as they have limited capital, resources, and staff; short life spans; and poor knowledge about government support.
While small enterprises are still recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 crisis, they are facing new challenges such as inflation, digitalization, rising debts, new trade blocs, and climate change.
This webinar from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) examined how to build a conducive business environment that can help SMEs in Southeast Asia recover from the pandemic.
The webinar built on outcomes and policy dialogue from the Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS) 2022, “Sustainable Solutions for Southeast Asia’s Recovery,” last 16–17 March 2022, and the Provincial Facilitation for Investment and Trade (PROFIT): Measuring Economic Governance for Business Development in the Lao PDR, Second Edition 2022 report released on 31 March.
Date | Session / Activity | Presentation Material | Speaker(s) |
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29 Jun 2022 | Session I: Scene Setting | Moderated Discussion |
Moderator: James P. Villafuerte, Senior Economist, ADB |
29 Jun 2022 | Presentation 1 | Better Local Business Environments for Pandemic Recovery in Southeast Asia |
Ramesh Subramanian, Director General, Southeast Asia Regional Department, ADB |
29 Jun 2022 | Keynote | Keynote Address |
Ming Tan, Founding Executive Director, Tech For Good Institute |
29 Jun 2022 | Presentation 2 |
Recent trends and Policy Directions for Building Better Local Business Environments for Pandemic Recovery in Southeast Asia This presentation gives an overview of several important issues for MSMEs and processes to transition to a better MSMEs ecosystem. |
Michael Schaper |
29 Jun 2022 | Session II: Panel Discussion | Moderated Discussion |
Moderator: James P. Villafuerte, Senior Economist, ADB |
29 Jun 2022 | Panel Discussion |
Panelists: Penn Sovicheat, Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Commerce, Cambodia Aphisid Sengsorivong, Director General, Enterprise Registration Department, Ministry of Industry & Commerce, Lao PDR |
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29 Jun 2022 | Panel Discussion |
The Provincial Competitiveness Index: Promoting Enabling Business Environment in Viet Nam from Business Perspective This presentation gives an overview of using PCI or provincial competitiveness index in empowering the private sector and promoting reforms from the bottom... |
Thach Pham Ngoc |
29 Jun 2022 | Panel Discussion |
Panelists: Hoan Tran, Senior Official, Ministry of Industry & Trade, Viet Nam Michael Schaper, Senior Visiting Fellow, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore |
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29 Jun 2022 | Panel Discussion |
Digital Opportunities for MSMEs in Southeast Asia This presentation gives an overview of how digital technology become a gamechanger for MSMEs in Southeast Asia. |
Ming Tan |
29 Jun 2022 | Closing |