The APEC ministers are working together to build on progress achieved through cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region at a time of heightened risks, according to a written statement of the APEC Secretariat received here on Thursday.
"Inclusiveness must be our underlying principle for us to make this meeting really meaningful for all our citizens. No one should be left behind," Papua New Guinea`s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rimbink Pato remarked as he opened the APEC Ministerial Meeting in Port Moresby.
"This is the first time that APEC has been hosted by Papua New Guinea. This is our opportunity to show that our principles of free trade and fairness are applicable to all countries not just the economically developed ones. Let us ensure that this APEC will be remembered as the Pacific people`s APEC," Minister Pato remarked.
At the APEC Ministerial Meeting themed "Harnessing Inclusive Opportunities, Embracing the Digital Future," Minister Pato highlighted the importance of greater action in APEC to build new, digitally-enabled growth drivers for small businesses and less-represented communities.
He expected that the meeting prioritizes addressing trade barriers that are impeding prosperity across APEC, along with issues that are especially impacting developing economies, such as internet access, to participate in the digital economy and the impact of climate change.
"It has to be a vision of hope and confidence in a prosperous future, but it must also show that our citizens are fully aware of the current issues that are impeding prosperity. Most important of all, we must express our determination to take all steps to overcome those problems and deliver ever-rising prosperity for our people," Pato stated.
For this year`s meeting, APEC ministers focused on discussing subsequent steps to improve connectivity, including strengthening physical, institutional, and people-to-people connectivity, to promote growth in APEC, whose economies account for half of the global trade and 60 percent of the world`s gross domestic product.
(T.Y012/B/KR-BSR/A/R013) 15-11-2018 17:20:09
Reporter: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
Editor: Andi Abdussalam
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
