SAARC SSI conference from February 16-20

KOLKATA, Feb 15 (UNI): As many as 42 speakers from SAARC countries will address various issues relating to the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector in an international conference and exhibition here to explore ways of cooperation between the countries.

With this aim in view, Federation of Association of Cottage and Small Industries (FACSI) has taken the initiative to bring the small-scale industries of the SAARC region under a common platform, FASCI president D B Ghosh told reporters.

The interaction is aimed at creating an awareness of mutual co-operation, technical collaboration and joint ventures etc, Ghosh added.

Pointing out the objectives of the four-day conference and exhibition here, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) director Prof Masuda Chowdhury said, "The mutual obligation of having a well-knitted tie of co-operation among the seven member countries of South Asian Associations Regional Cooperation, better known as "SAARC"- has assumed tremendous urgency in the present context of international competition." The constituent countries of SAARC, namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal and India are in dire necessity of this co-operation accepting the process of globalisation, Chowdhury added.

She urged upon all SAARC country bodies to share their experiences.

She said, "In the face of global challenges, it is high time that apex-bodies of SSIs like FACSI should strengthen the manufacturing and service sector potentialities to fight the global competition." It is also equally necessary to identify and locate the import requirement of each SAARC country and explore the possibility of having the same from SAARC countries instead of approaching other developed nations, she added.

The conference will study the problems impairing the development of SSI in each country and list out the common problems.

It will try to develop a suitable strategy to combat these problems both at government level and at the SSI level.

The interaction will also develop uniform government policies to avoid unhealthy competition among the SSIs of different SAARC countries and remove trade barriers, embargoes and other restrictive laws and statutes so that there could be free flow of merchandise among the countries for uniform development and growth of the entire region.

The meet will try to evolve an information/data bank to enable entrepreneurs to know the import land export items of each country and duty structure and to develop easy, fast and cheap communication system among the SAARC countries.

Speakers will also focus on developing a system which would simplify goods movement among the countries without undue delay at check posts.