Ministers and senior officials responsible for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies will meet here early October, pro-enterprise agency Spring Singapore said on Wednesday.
The weeklong program, from Oct.3 to Oct. 9, will comprise the 29th APEC SME Working Group and 16th APEC SME Ministerial Meetings, and two seminars and a workshop.
The program's theme is "Helping SMEs Access Global Markets and Overcoming Trade Barriers."
The discussions are expected to focus on ways for the APEC economies to work more closely together in three key areas: namely helping APEC SMEs position for growth after the crisis, developing market research and market access capabilities and supporting the implementation of the APEC SME strategic plan.
Singapore is to host the APEC meetings held from February to November 2009. The activities will culminate in the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting from Nov. 14 to Nov. 15.