26 August 2015 – To advance APEC 2015’s fourth priority of “Building Sustainable and Resilient Communities”, the Third APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting series in Cebu will include the High Level Meeting on Health and the Economy; the Public-Private Dialogue on Water; and the Symposium on Urbanization.
High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy
APEC Health Ministers will continue to examine the health-economy nexus in the Asia-Pacific and discuss key health issues identified as priorities for the region in the upcoming 5th APEC High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy (HLM5).
Under the Philippine APEC 2015 Chairmanship, APEC economies are tasked to develop a roadmap to help achieve APEC’s goal of a healthy Asia-Pacific by 2020. Endorsed at last year’s HLM4 in China, the Healthy Asia-Pacific 2020 initiative aims to promote people’s health and well-being through a whole-of-government, whole-of-society, and whole-of-region approach.
As health is a result of, and an effective indicator of sustainable development, APEC economies are working together to ensure healthy populations that will substantially contribute to economic growth and development. Encouraging multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder engagement and collaboration will be a key focus of the HLM5.
HLM 5 will be held on 30 – 31 August 2015 at the Waterfront Hotel, Cebu, after the meetings of the APEC Health Working Group (HWG) and the APEC Life Sciences Innovation Forum (LSIF).
Public-Private Dialogue on Water
Sustainable development is one of the key pillars of economic growth. In the APEC region, as emerging economies continue to achieve their high-speed economic growth, urbanization is advancing rapidly. This phenomenon causes serious water pollution and shortage in urban areas.
In the Statement of 2015 Meeting of APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade, the Ministers stated that they “welcome the endorsement of the proposal on APEC Water Initiative for inclusive resilience and sustainability – which thrive the upcoming “Public-Private Dialogue on Water – Good Practices for Securing Drinking Water and Conservation of Water Environment.” APEC Economies are expected to share each economy’s solution or best practice for securing water resource, sanitation, and conservation of water environment, focusing on economic, social and technological aspects.
Organized by the government of Japan, the Dialogue will be held on 01 September 2015 at the Marriott Hotel, Cebu City.
Symposium on Urbanization
The Symposium on Urbanization (formerly “Building Better Cities – A Forum on Liveable, Sustainable, and Competitive Cities”) is in line with APEC’s efforts to give priority to the challenges and concerns of urbanization. The Symposium will bring together local city executives from APEC economies, government officials, and the private sector to discuss challenges commonly faced by urban centers across economies, and collective solutions offered in partnership between cities or public private institutions and urban centers.
The Symposium, jointly organized by the Philippines and the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), will be held on 03 - 04 September 2015 at the Radisson Hotel, Cebu City.
Health, water, and urbanization are interrelated issues that affect sustainable economic growth and development. The recommendations and outcomes of HLM5, PPD on Water, and Symposium on Urbanization shall be endorsed to APEC Senior Officials, as potential opportunities for regional cooperation and solutions. END