Trade Minister Discusses SMEs & B2B Cooperation in ASEAN Summit

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The Indonesia's Trade Minister, Budi Santoso, departed for Cebu, Philippines, on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. His coming is to attend a series of meetings at the 48th ASEAN Summit, which will be held on May 7–8, 2026.

He is scheduled to attend the Joint ASEAN Foreign and Economic Ministers’ (AMM-AEM) Meeting as well as a number of other meetings.

In a written press release, Budi stated that the 48th ASEAN Summit is a strategic forum for ASEAN member states to strengthen regional cooperation in the face of increasingly complex global dynamics. In this regard, he emphasized the importance of the Summit as a momentum to drive closer, more inclusive, and sustainable economic integration in the Southeast Asian region.

“Indonesia’s participation in the 48th ASEAN Summit series is a manifestation of our commitment to strengthening resilient and adaptive regional economic cooperation. Indonesia aims to ensure that ASEAN remains a driving force for inclusive and sustainable economic growth, and is capable of jointly addressing various global challenges,” he said.

Indonesia’s participation in this summit aligns with the theme of the 2026 ASEAN Chairmanship proposed by the Philippines, namely “Navigating Our Future, Together.” The issues to be discussed include global developments impacting the region, such as efforts to ensure energy security and strengthen coordination in responding to geopolitical dynamics.

In this context, Indonesia supports initiatives on energy and food security, as well as the strengthening of regional supply chains for energy, food, and essential goods. Additionally, Indonesia emphasizes the importance of supporting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) through the optimization of ASEAN’s internal and external cooperation mechanisms.

Budi stated, “We hope that the 48th ASEAN Summit will serve as a crucial momentum to strengthen synergy among member states in maintaining regional stability and fostering closer and more responsive cooperation in the face of global dynamics.”

In addition to the main meeting, Budi will accompany Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto at the “27th ASEAN Economic Community Council Meeting.” He is also scheduled to attend the Indonesia-Philippines Business Forum, initiated by the Indonesian Trade Attaché in Manila, to explore various business-to-business cooperation opportunities between the two countries.