29 August 2015 – APEC Senior Officials will have a meeting of the “Friends of the Chair on Connectivity” on September 03 in Cebu at the sidelines of the Third Senior Officials’ Meeting to discuss member economies’ progress on the first-year implementation of the APEC Connectivity Blueprint for 2015-2025.
Launched by APEC Leaders in 2014, the APEC Connectivity Blueprint was developed to guide the region’s cross-cutting and inclusive efforts toward a vision for a “seamlessly and comprehensively connected and integrated Asia-Pacific balanced on three pillars – physical connectivity, institutional connectivity, and people-to-people connectivity.”
APEC's Connectivity Blueprint maps out initiatives that make it easier to do business across and within borders, such as improved transportation and telecommunications infrastructure as well as modernized customs regimes that are responsive to market and technological demands. Similarly, the Blueprint calls for economies to make it easier for students, business persons, and tourists to travel around the region.
At the special meeting on connectivity this September, Senior Officials are expected to welcome the progress made by APEC sub-fora and members alike on their respective initiatives and projects towards the shared vision of APEC Connectivity by 2025. Using a comprehensive approach, all APEC stakeholders are encouraged to apply the Blueprint to their respective initiatives.
Such initiatives include the Boracay Action Agenda for Globalizing MSMEs that enable MSMEs to take part in global supply chains; the APEC Business Travel Card, which has been extended from 3 to 5-year validity; and APEC’s Education Portal onstudy and career development exchanges offered by universities and companies in APEC member economies.
The discussion on connectivity will continue at the APEC High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy, and the Ministerial Meetings on Finance, Transportation, and Energy to be held subsequently. The said meetings will focus on connectivity measures related to safety and disease prevention related to the movement of people across borders;infrastructure investment; enhanced land, air and water transportation; and resilient energy infrastructure. END