UNESCAP is implementing the project, “Development of e-business development services for SMEs in selected ASEAN countries and southern China.”  The project goal is to enhance the capacity among enterprise support agencies and to make them capable of providing services to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on how to adopt e-business by using information and communication technologies (ICTs) as part of their business practices.  The national stakeholder consultations is one activity among a range project elements ranging from a desk study, needs assessment survey to a pilot implementation and training for selected enterprise support agencies (ESAs) and business development services (BDSs) in each of the six countries.

Objectives
The objectives of the national stakeholder consultations, which were held in each country, are to:

1. Raise awareness regarding the importance of e-business;
2. Improve understanding of national stakeholders of the project;
3. Identify and discuss the ESA and SMEs needs and challenges;
4. Identify main problems and concerns of the ESAs for providing e-business development services and assess SMEs main concerns when applying ICTs to their business practices; and
5. Transform the needs and challenges into activities to address these concerns and challenges.

Output
The discussions and survey results at the stakeholder consultation were consolidated in a report to be shared among the stakeholder for comments.  The report was used by the consultant to development national strategies for e-Business Development Services (BDS) in each country as well as to recommend specific topics for e-BDS training modules.

Participants
Local BDS/ESA and SMEs, Government and Ministry officials that work in the areas of SME development, trade promotion centers, SME development projects, ICT companies providing e-business applications and IT services