25 June 2007
PRESS RELEASE
DOMESTIC TRADE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS MINISTER
LAUNCHES BUSINESS MATCHING SEMINAR IN PARIS
A one-day seminar on ?Business Matching Between Malaysian Exporters and France Traders ? officiated by the Hon. Datuk Haji Shafie Apdal, Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs was held in Paris on Monday, 25 June 2007. The seminar was held in conjunction with the ?Taste of Malaysia? promotion in Paris jointly organised by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs and Carrefour, the French leading hypermarket chain in collaboration with the Embassy of Malaysia, the Malaysian External Trade Corporation (MATRADE) and the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA).
2. Also present at the seminar were H.E. Dato? S. Thanarajasingam, Ambassador of Malaysia to France and delegation from the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affair led by Dr. Muzahet Masruri, Senior Director of the Domestic Trade Division.
3. The seminar ?Business Matching Between Malaysian Exporters and France Traders ?, which was part of an initiative to promote Malaysian food products in France, was well attended by representatives from the French food industries. The seminar commenced with a welcome speech by Mr. Christian Pépineau, Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris (CCIP), followed by a keynote address by the Hon. Minister, Datuk Hj. Mohd. Shafie Hj. Apdal, Minister of Domestic, Trade and Consumer Affairs. (The speech of the Hon. Minister is as attached).
4. The seminar ended with individual business meetings between the French business representatives with the Malaysian delegates, enabling the local businesses to network and discuss investment opportunities and sourcing of products from Malaysia.
5. During his stay in Paris, the Hon. Minister will meet with Mr. Thierry Courtaigne, the Deputy Chairman of MEDEF International (The French Employers Association ? International Section) and Mr. Jacques Lefèvre, the Board Director of Lafarge and Chairman of the French-Malaysia Committee of MEDEF.
6. On Tuesday, the Hon. Minister will launch the ?Taste of Malaysia? promotion at Carrefour Evry, south of Paris, from 25 June to 30 June 2007. The Hon. Minister, in his keynote address hoped that the promotional programme on Malaysian products in France would provide a platform for SME?S to discuss and exchange ideas on other opportunities as well as forming cooperative partnerships and strategic alliances. (The copy of the Hon. Minister?s speech is as attached).
7. The Hon. Minister will visit Gimbert Ocean Group, located at Fleurance near Toulouse in the southwest of France. The company, which imports seafood products notably prawns and tiger prawns from Malaysia, has five sea-food factories in Malaysia: one in Parit Buntar, Perak; two in Penang and three in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The Secretary-General of the Prefecture of Auch in the region will also host a lunch in honour of the Minister.
8. A meeting with officials from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Nice will be held on Thursday, 28 June in Nice. The Minister will also visit the Sophia Antipolis technology pole and the SCS company specializing in website creation during his visit in Nice.
9. The Minister departs Paris for Kuala Lumpur on Friday 29 June 2007.
Embassy of Malaysia
Paris
25 June 2007
