APEC business leaders hold their first summit
APEC business leaders hold their first summit
VANCOUVER, Canada (JP): The role of the private sector in the
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum will gain greater
momentum this week when APEC business leaders hold their first
summit.
Six APEC leaders and 20 ministers of trade and foreign affairs
are among those scheduled to address 200 of Asia Pacific's
prominent business leaders in a four-day meeting which began with
a reception yesterday.
"The tremendous interest in this first APEC CEO Summit shows
that governments appreciate the critical role the private sector
plays and must continue to play in helping economies of the Asia-
Pacific region deal successfully with the challenges they face
today," said Thomas d'Aquino, chairman of the meeting's
organizing committee.
"Ensuring that trade and investment liberalization and
economic growth provide the widest possible benefits to citizens
and societies should be a hallmark of Asia-Pacific
entrepreneurship," d'Aquino added.
Among those that will be addressing the meeting are Canadian
Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad and United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Production and
Distribution Hartarto will be a panelist during a session on the
pace of liberalization. Businessman Sofjan Wanandi of the Gemala
Group will sit in as a panelist discussing business strategies.
The meeting's agenda includes sessions on the currency
turmoil, infrastructure development, protection of intellectual
property rights and sustainable development.
D'Aquino said that the meeting can serve as a forum of dialog
between governments and the private sector, thereby fulfilling
the often touted role of the private sector as the engine of
growth in the region.
"At this meeting, our primary objective is not to give advice
to governments but to exchange frank views on what business
leaders in Asia Pacific must do to encourage the continuing
spread of prosperity throughout the region," d'Aquino said.
The meeting is jointly organized by the Pacific Basin Economic
Council and Canada's Business Council on National Issues. (mds)