In this edition, we are featuring two (2) neighbouring South American countries, namely Ecuador and Colombia which share quite similar demography and offer as yet untapped business opportunities for Malaysian entrepreneurs especially in the areas of infrastructure, construction and oil & gas. These two (2) countries also have ample natural resources to offer.

MASSA has plans to organise a business mission to these two (2) countries including Venezuela in 2011 to establish business linkages. Their respective Embassies in Kuala Lumpur are already working with us on an itinerary for the proposed mission. We look forward to members and your business associates to join us on this mission, tentatively planned for late April 2011. Do look out for our information circulars in due course.

We wish to take this opportunity to thank United Nations Malaysia for a timely article on the recently launched UNCTAD’s “The Least Developed Countries Report 2010”. The report outlines the critical issues, challenges and risks faced by these countries and also offers suggestions on how best they can be overcome, including through the South-South cooperation organisations in countries such as Malaysia.

Among ASEAN member countries themselves, there are a number of LDCs which include Lao PDR, Cambodia and Myanmar. We have MASSA members and many other Malaysian corporations already doing business in these countries. In this connection, their business networks, insight and experiences in these countries may provide a better appreciation to navigate the complexities of LDC economies towards a more dynamic, sustainable and equitable growth path for these countries.

As 2010 comes to a close, we wish to express our heartfelt thanks to all members, associates, sponsors and contributors, for assisting us in the publication of MASSA newsletters throughout 2010. We look forward to further assistance and a closer rapport with all of you in 2011 to strengthen and enhance the South-South platform.

We in the Editorial team wish to extend to all members, associates and readers our Best Wishes for the New Year.

Fatimah Sulaiman
Editor

Forthcoming Events

1. Expo Pakistan 2011 at Karachi Expo Center, Pakistan, 25 – 27 February 2011.

2. MASSA Business Mission to Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela, March/April 2011.

3. Showcase Malaysia 2011 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 10 – 12 June 2011.

4. MASSA Business Mission to Myanmar, October/November 2011.