1,700 delegates in Clark, Subic SOM1 meetings
CLARK FREEPORT — Around 1,700 delegates coming from all member-economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) shall converge to Clark and Subic Bay Freeports beginning today for the 1st Senior Officials Meeting (SOM1) related technical meetings.
“During the discussions of the senior officials during the SOM1, they will take into account the results of these technical meetings in addition to recommendations from the APEC Business Advisory Council, which will have their first meeting this year from January 27-30 in Hong Kong, China,” APEC said in a statement.
Meetings include the APEC Experts Group on Illegal Logging and Associated Trade, Health Working Group, Anti-Corruption and Transparency Working Group, Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures, Life Sciences Innovation Forum Training Program, Regulatory Harmonization Steering Committee, Ocean and Fisheries Working Group, Emergency Preparedness Working Group, APEC Alliance on Supply Chain Connectivity, Chemical Dialogue, and Investment Experts’ Group.
Also the Counter-Terrorism Working Group; Business Mobility Group; Group on Services; Intellectual Property Rights Experts Group; Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance; Electronic Commerce Steering Group; Friends of the Chair on Regional Economic Integration, Global Value Chains, and Next Generation Trade and Investment Issues; Market Access Group; Economic Committee; Project Management Unit; Competition Policy Law Group; Friends of the Chair on Environmental Goods and Services; pre-conference meeting on High Level Policy Dialogue on Human Capacity Building; Budget and Management Committee; Committee on Trade and Investment; Joint Economic Committee and Group Services; SOM Committee on ECOTECH; Friends of the Chair on Connectivity; Policy Support Unit Board; and Public Private Partnership Experts Advisory Meeting.
“Marking the inaugural gathering of APEC senior officials for this year’s Philippine hosting, SOM1 will foster discussion on a range of issues relevant to the region including the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, trade facilitation and implementation, environmental goods and services liberalization, and efforts toward development and against corruption,” APEC added.
The actual SOM1 shall be held from February 6-7 in Clark Freeport.
APEC began as an informal dialogue group in 1989, but has since become the premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia Pacific region.
Apart from the Philippines, other members include Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; People’s Republic of China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; The Russian Federation; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; United States of America; and Viet Nam.
This year’s meetings carry the theme “Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better World.” (PIA 3)
