UNDERSECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS LOURDES ARANDA ATTENDS THE 24TH APEC MINISTERIAL MEETING 
  

Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Lourdes Aranda attended the 24th Ministerial Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Vladivostok, Russia on September 5-6.

She discussed various issues on the 2012 APEC agenda with the Foreign and Trade Ministers, such as strengthening food security and improving emergency preparedness; supporting the multilateral trading system; accelerating trade liberalization, investment and regional economic integration; establishing reliable supply chains; and promoting innovative growth.

In her remarks, Undersecretary Aranda stressed the importance of working together for food security and to reduce the volatility of agricultural commodity prices, as well as promoting a complementary approach to this issue in forums such as APEC and the G20. She also said it is essential to design disaster prevention strategies that focus on human safety and that consider funding and building the capacity of governments and the private sector, in addition to sharing experiences between countries.

The Declaration of the 24th APEC Ministerial Meeting reiterates the ministers’ commitment to make every effort to implement the leaders’ instructions to achieve balanced inclusive, sustainable, innovative and secure growth, and to take concrete steps towards achieving a free and open economic region. It says that, given the continued uncertainty in the global economy, the APEC region is in a better position to be a major engine of global economic growth and a key factor in international trade and investment, with a forward-thinking integration agenda.

APEC consists of 21 of the world's most dynamic economies, which together account for 40% of the world's population, 54% of world GDP and 44% of global trade. It is currently the most important forum in the Asia-Pacific region. Click here for the Ministerial Declaration (in Spanish).