DENPASAR (indo.com): The Sahid Raya Hotel hosted a workshop for ASEAN Cooperative Business Networking, attended by representatives from ASEAN's ten nations, from July 24 to July 27, 2002.

This event dealt with the Asean Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) 2003, and the workshop was officially opened by the Indonesian Minister for Cooperatives and Home Industries, Ali Marwan Hanan. Hanan pointed out that the main ACO pre-conference will be held in Singapore this year, so each country only sent two representatives to the Bali workshop.

He added that the challenges for ACO were getting more severe in the advent of AFTA 2003 regulations, and that cooperation between ASEAN members was now crucial. The workshop represents a significant step forward in renewing the ACO's role within the context of these regulations, and in ensuring good cooperation between members.