President Marcos and Other APEC Economic Leaders Adopt The APEC 2023 Golden Gate Declaration
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. with APEC Economic Leaders during the Leaders’ Meeting chaired by US President Joseph Biden. (Photo from APEC Secretariat via the APEC website)
SAN FRANCISCO 28 November 2023 – The APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting concluded on 17 November 2023 with the announcement of US President Joe Biden that the Leaders of 21 APEC economies have reached consensus on the APEC 2023 Golden Gate Declaration, under the US chairmanship theme of “Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All” through Interconnectedness, Innovation, and Inclusion.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. led the Philippine delegation while Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo and Secretary of Trade and Industry Alfredo E. Pascual participated in the APEC Ministerial Meeting, which also ended in the adoption of the APEC 2023 Joint Ministerial Statement. DFA Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and International Economic Relations and Philippines APEC Senior Official Charles C. Jose participated in the Concluding Senior Officials’ Meeting.
The Declaration takes off from the outcome documents of previous APEC Leaders Meetings such as the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040 and the Aotearoa Plan of Action which envision the region as an open, dynamic, resilient and peaceful Asia-Pacific by 2040 for the prosperity of future generations. Furthermore, the US, as this year’s APEC host, builds on APEC’s Bangkok Goals on the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy, which established the goal of progressing sustainable and inclusive economic policies and practices while ensuring they also address environmental challenges.
Economy Leaders also welcomed the San Francisco Principles on Integrating Inclusivity and Sustainability into Trade and Investment Policy, as well as Ministerial-level outcomes of the 2023 sectoral meetings for transportation, trade, disaster management, food security, health and economy, energy, women and economy, MSMEs, and finance, including principles on the non-binding just energy transition and for achieving food security through sustainable agri-food systems in the APEC region.
Climate change, energy security, and sustainability were the most pressing issues during the APEC Economic Leaders’ Informal Dialogue with Guests. Leaders discussed the impacts of climate change on their respective economies and approaches to addressing climate change through renewable energy technologies and policies designed to reduce carbon emissions among others. At the same time, in recognition of the common but differentiated responsibility and respective capabilities of economies in addressing climate change, members pushed for stronger economic cooperation, technical assistance, and capacity building. “APEC’s work must reflect a historical climate injustice for those that are least responsible and suffer the most. APEC can contribute to a trade and investment environment that assists economies in cutting emissions, facilitating climate financing and supporting technology transfer especially for the most vulnerable economies. Technology diffusion ensures that green energy solutions are accessible and affordable to all”, President Marcos said.
In this regard, DFA Secretary Manalo, in his intervention during the 34th APEC Ministerial Meeting, expressed “confidence in APEC’s ability to foster inclusive and sustainable growth at a much rapid pace moving forward, in a way that makes a difference to the lives of our people and to ensure the same for future generations despite the adversities we face” and that “we urge APEC governments to work even more cooperatively with each other and our partners to hasten our path towards the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040.
During the said meeting, the Philippines was proclaimed winner of the 2023 APEC Digital Prosperity Award for the EMERGE app developed by a Filipino duo, which is an export readiness assessment tool to assist MSMEs in entering the global market. According to Ambassador Matt Murray, US APEC Senior Official, the award recognizes innovative applications that have the potential to further prosperity and inclusive growth. The Philippines also won one of the prizes in the 2023 APEC Photo Contest which aims to capture the efforts of APEC economies in balancing economic and social goals.
At the conclusion of the APEC 2023 AELM, the US turned over the chairmanship to Peru for APEC 2024 which will carry the theme “Empower. Include. Grow.” END
(Left photo) Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo and DTI Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo at the 34th APEC Ministerial Meeting and (right photo) DFA Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and International Economic Relations Charles C. Jose and DTI-BITR Director Marie Sherylyn D. Aquia during the Concluding Senior Officials’ Meeting. (Photos from APEC Secretariat via the APEC website)
For more information, please visit https://www.apec.org/press/news-releases/2023/apec-economic-leaders-jointly-agree-to-golden-gate-declaration.