ECOTECH Initiatives Confirm APEC Commitment
Hon Lockwood Smith
New Zealand Minister for International
Trade
Chair, APEC Ministerial Meeting
APEC Ministers
have approved initiatives to help APEC improve the
effectiveness of its economic and technical assistance to
developing economies, according to Lockwood Smith, Chair of
the APEC Ministerial Meeting and New Zealand¡¦s Minister for
International Trade.
"These initiatives demonstrate
APEC¡¦s commitment to assisting its developing member
economies," Dr Smith said.
"Ministers recognise that
whilst work to advance trade liberalisation and facilitation
is important, it¡¦s equally important to assist economies to
build their human and institutional capacity so they can
fully participate in a free and open regional trade
environment.
Dr Smith said that the initiatives would
provide a clearer focus for APEC¡¦s important Ecotech work.
"Ministers approved the development of a ¡¥Clearing
House¡¦ to improve co-ordination of APEC¡¦s Ecotech work
through enhancing information flows, prioritising
economies¡¦ needs and identifying APEC¡¦s ability to meet
them," Dr Smith said.
"Ministers also endorsed the
Ecotech Weightings Matrix, which will enable APEC to better
prioritise projects and deliver more effective ways to meet
the needs of developing economies," Dr Smith
concluded.
More than 250 co-operative Ecotech projects
have been undertaken or completed this year. They
include:
„h Development of a Y2K assessment kit, so APEC
economies are able to gauge their preparedness for 2000;
„h Creation of initiatives to help women entrepreneurs
play a bigger role in economic policy;
„h Sharing best
practices to build educational and labour market capability
for indigenous peoples.
ENDS
Inquiries Ben King,
Press Secretary 025-514-790
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