APEC Officials to chart path toward inclusive, sustainable regional growth

Hiroshima, Japan, 22 February 2010 - Coming together for their first meeting in 2010, APEC Senior Officials must determine how best to realise their Leaders' instruction to develop growth strategies that are balanced, inclusive and sustainable.

Specifically, last November APEC Leaders declared, "We will put in place [in 2010] a comprehensive long-term growth strategy that supports more balanced growth within and across economies, achieves greater inclusiveness in our societies, sustains our environment, and which seeks to raise our growth potential through innovation and a knowledge-based economy."

The first APEC Senior Officials' Meeting will be instrumental in determining the agendas that will shape discussions throughout the year and which will lead to concrete actions in each economy.

Japan, the host economy for APEC 2010 has asserted three priority areas:
1. Devising a new growth strategy;
2. Promoting regional economic integration; and
3. Enhancing human security.

Topics likely to be discussed throughout the year include: the possibility of a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific; services and investment liberalisation; increasing trade and investment in environmental goods and services; building the capacity of small and medium enterprises to engage in international trade; food security; supply chain connectivity; and others.

 

To learn more about the APEC 2010 Japan agenda, click here.

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