Asia-Pacific Business Leaders Forum in Mexico City Networking Across the Pacific
Mexico will host a forum of major international business leaders this week when the first 2005 meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) convenes in Mexico City.
The meeting of executives who are individually selected by the Leaders of APEC's 21 Member Economies will discuss key business concerns and priorities confronting the regional economy.
The scheduled program will also give local Mexican business executives a chance to network with business leaders from around the Asia-Pacific region and discuss major issues confronting international business.
High on ABAC's agenda will be efforts to advance the Doha Development Round of World Trade Organization negotiations in preparation for the WTO Ministerial in Hong Kong in November.
ABAC Chair, Mr. Jae-Hyun Hyun, from Korea said the meeting in Mexico City is important as it will give the business community an opportunity to contribute to efforts to progress WTO negotiations.
"The business community must get behind efforts to progress DDA negotiations," Mr Hyun said.
"At our first meeting for 2005 ABAC will be looking at ways to build the public-private partnership between ABAC and APEC. One option we will consider is the possibility of ABAC working with the APEC Geneva Caucus in its efforts to progress WTO negotiations."
"After the WTO Cancun Meeting broke down two years ago, it is hoped that 2005 will be the year to get the process back on track," Mr. Hyun said.
"The current WTO round is particularly important for developing economies and the business community is looking at options for us to assist in getting negotiations back on track."
Mr. Jae-Hyun said he is looking forward to holding the first ABAC meeting in Mexico since 2002.
"We are pleased to be starting this year in Mexico City, such a dynamic and vibrant business city at the centre of the Americas," Mr. Hyun said.
This meeting is the first of four ABAC Meetings planned for various locations around the Asia-Pacific in 2005. The recommendations developed by ABAC at these meetings on issues such as WTO negotiations will be presented to APEC Leaders when they meet in Seoul in November.
The Mexico City Meeting will take place on February 22-25 at the Sheraton Maria Isabel Hotel. Separate media information will be issued providing further details for media wishing to attend photo opportunities and a press conference during the meetings.
The APEC Geneva Caucus is a forum of APEC Member Economy Ambassadors to the WTO that meets to exchange views and information on APEC's work and collective input to the WTO process.
Visit the ABAC Website: www.abaconline.org