Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesian Trade Minister Budi Santoso stressed the importance of a rules-based trading system to help strengthen micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in developing countries.Speaking at the BRICS Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Jaipur, India, on Friday, Santoso said a predictable, fair and inclusive trading system was essential for MSMEs to expand beyond domestic markets, improve competitiveness and increase their participation in international trade.“MSMEs are one of the main pillars of the economies of developing countries, including Indonesia. However, MSMEs continue to face various structural barriers. Limited access to financing remains one of the most fundamental challenges,” he said.To address the issue, Indonesia is promoting three key priorities to expand access to financing for MSMEs in developing countries, improving financial literacy, expanding inclusive digital financing and diversifying adaptive and flexible financing programs.Indonesia also called for more resilient global value chains to strengthen domestic capabilities, proposing action in four areas: improving transport, logistics and digital connectivity; simplifying and speeding up trade procedures; investing in skills, innovation and businesses; and expanding trade agreements and market access.“Indonesia believes that progress in these four areas will help developing countries build resilient, inclusive and development-oriented global value chains,” Santoso said.Santoso also noted that as global production networks, services and emerging technologies become increasingly complex and interconnected, artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing are playing a growing role as key drivers of value creation and innovation.To support these developments, Indonesia views BRICS cooperation in promoting interoperability and mutual recognition arrangements as an important step toward building trust and enabling more effective participation in various markets, he said.Such efforts, however, should remain consistent with national laws and the regulatory frameworks of individual countries, he added.