Mexico Declaration

We, the Ministers responsible for science and technology from Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; the People's Republic of China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; the Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; the Republic of the Philippines; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; and the United States of America, meeting in Mexico City, on October 21-23, 1998, for the Third APEC Ministers' Conference on Regional Science and Technology Cooperation;

Being consistent with the Osaka Action Program for Industrial Science and Technology, which included as a priority a "strong endorsement for enhancing links between government agencies, the private/business sector (including small and medium sized enterprises) and academic institutions engaged in collaborative industrial S&T research and development";

In pursuance of the APEC vision to create a community of Asia-Pacific built on the economic dynamism of the region based on free trade and investment, and active and intensive regional cooperation in science and technology that will be "a source of economic dynamism, a vehicle to a prosperous Asia-Pacific and as a means to achieve sustainable and equitable development of the region" as declared at the Second APEC Ministers' Conference on Regional Science and Technology Cooperation in Seoul, 1996;

Recognizing the timeliness of strengthened economic and technical cooperation for addressing the challenges of the changing regional and global economies, consistent with the "Framework for Strengthening Economic Cooperation Development adopted in Manila, 1996; in order to rapidly and effectively achieve the vision shared by member economies by harnessing technologies for the future, developing human capital and safeguarding the quality of life" ; and acknowledging that the Vancouver Declaration of the APEC Leaders recognized that 'connecting' people, resources issues, and science and technology will contribute to accelerate the development of the region, APEC economies have supported the creation of public/private partnerships that stimulate regional dynamism and facilitate science and technology exchanges; and

Noting that S&T is increasingly integrated within APEC fora and activities, which is a recognition of the role of S&T in fostering economic growth and social development;

In order to realize the vision of an APEC community thriving on the basis of dynamic industries and sustainable resources, the innovative capability of the region must be maintained and strengthened. Despite the current global economic situation, member economies should sustain and further their support for S&T efforts and build on the progress made.

To sustain discovery and innovation and maximize the efficiency of existing investments in S&T across the region, partnerships and networks have become indispensable. Cooperative public and private partnerships and networks allow participants to link their human, intellectual and infrastructural resources to address regional economic, social, and environmental issues. Such linkages have a positive multiplier effect, spreading the benefits and stimulus of investments and innovation widely across the APEC region.

The proposed APEC Agenda for Science and Technology Industry Cooperation into the 21st Century recognizes that science and technology can contribute to the broad APEC goal of economic and technical cooperation (EcoTech) being pursued through various APEC fora. Effective implementation of that agenda and the outcomes of this Ministerial Conference will require the ISTWG to coordinate on horizontal issues with other APEC fora.

As we enter the new millennium, we thus conclude that the support of partnerships and networks should be a top priority of APEC, and we encourage APEC fora to take the following actions:

i. identify and share information about best practices for technology diffusion, and develop initiatives to provide APEC-wide linkages between technology networks among member economies;

ii. foster the formation and strengthening of networks in specific areas of S&T across APEC;

iii. encourage APEC fora, particularly the ISTWG, to continue to work with, and systematically engage, the private sector to participate in the policy dialogue, in particular as it pertains to the assessment of constraints and opportunities for partnerships and networks among APEC economies;

iv. conduct further analyses and implement additional actions on human resources issues, including, in particular, facilitation of mobility of personnel, and increasing the public awareness of S&T activities, especially among the young;

v. encourage the elimination of barriers to the fullest participation in, and contribution to, S&T by all members of society, with special attention to underrepresented segments, such as women and persons with disabilities;

vi. identify key skills necessary for effective innovation and assess the need for training in member economies;

vii. promote linkages among universities, public science agencies and industries to enhance the development of technologies and research training capacities;

viii. promote cleaner production both to preserve the environment and to stimulate economic growth;

ix. foster the pursuit of new knowledge and the development of technologies for humanistic concerns, such as the better health, well-being and enriched culture of all segments of the population;

x. disseminate best practices in natural disaster mitigation and emergency preparedness.