Leading APEC Business Executives to Meet in Singapore Next Week

Senior business executives that have been hand-picked by the Leaders of APEC Member Economies will meet in Singapore over the following week to address major economic issues of concern to regional business.

The first APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) meeting of 2006 will cover issues including the business implications of a potential Avian Influenza Pandemic, the outcomes of the recent WTO Ministerial Meeting and issues affecting energy markets.

The meeting will also be the first under the leadership of the new ABAC Chair, Hoang Van Dung, from Viet Nam.

The schedule will begin with a seminar on Avian Influenza today before the formal ABAC meeting next week. This seminar will consider actions to help mitigate a possible pandemic and is expected to draw on the successful responses to epidemics in the past including Singapore's response to SARS.

The meetings will take place in the Shangri-La Hotel on Orange Grove Road and will be officially opened on Monday, January 23 by Mr. Lim Hng Kiang, Singapore's Minister for Trade & Industry and conclude on Wednesday, January 25. The program includes a Gala Dinner hosted by Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, the Prime Minister of Singapore on Tuesday, January 24.

The meeting will also include a seminar with local Singapore businesses to examine business opportunities in Singapore as well as a briefing on business opportunities in Latin America.

A concluding News Conference will be held at 5:00pm on Wednesday, January 25, in the Shangri-La Hotel Lotus Room for all media to attend.

This is the first of four ABAC Meetings that will take place around the Asia-Pacific in 2006 with other meetings planned for Canada, the Philippines and Viet Nam.

At the final meeting in Viet Nam in November ABAC will present a series of recommendations to APEC Leaders.

ABAC consists of three representative business executives from each APEC economy that are selected by their respective Leaders.