Mapping Malaysia's Resource Centres

184 MAPPING MALAYSIA’S RESOURCE CENTRES MALAYSIA EXTERNAL TRADE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (MATRADE) Introduction Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) was established in 1993 as a statutory agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to help position Malaysia as a globally competitive trading nation. Area of Expertise MATRADE formulates and implements export marketing strategies and trade promotion activities to increase the country’s exports, undertakes market research and creates a comprehensive databaseof informationforthedevelopment and improvement of Malaysia’s trade. At the same time, the agency organises training programmes to enhance the international marketing skills of Malaysian exporters, promotes and assists in services related to trade as well as protecting Malaysia’s international trade interests abroad. In addition to raising the profile of Malaysian exporters in foreign markets, MATRADE disseminates timely information and market intelligence to assist Malaysian companies. MATRADE also facilitates the matching of Malaysian companies to foreign importers seeking suppliers and undertakes activities to promote the export of Malaysian goods and services in overseas markets. Strengths and Achievements In realising its vision of positioning Malaysia as a globally competitive trading nation, MATRADE has placed more than 40 trade offices worldwide to assist international buyers looking to source for Malaysian products and services. In Malaysia, MATRADE has five domestic offices in Johor, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak and Terengganu. MATRADE’s facilities include a world class business library, containing vast amounts of business information for companies to refer to. Projects Undertaken (International) Together with the International Trade Centre (ITC), Geneva, MATRADE organised the 9th Trade Promotion Organisation (TPO) Network World Conference and Awards. The conference, a biennial event first launched in 1996, brought together more than 200 delegates from 65 countries to address the theme “Transforming TPOs Business through Innovation”. MATRADE also organised the annual Third Country Training Programme (TCTP), a capacity-building collaboration project between the Government of Malaysia and the Government of Japan. TCTP aims to share both countries’ expertise and experiences in trade promotion strategies and programmes with selected African countries. Furthermore, in conjunction with Malaysia hosting the APEC 2020 summit, MATRADE organised the #MyAPEC2020 trade exhibition. It took the form of a virtual exhibition, allowing visitors online access from around the world. Recognition and Awards 1. Islamic Solidarity prize, Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) for MATRADE’s efforts in promoting trade among the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member nations. T R A D E