| LIMA, PERU — President Rodrigo Duterte arrived here on Thursday, November 17, to join 20 other leaders of the Asia Pacific region for the 24th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting.
The President and his delegation, touched down at Jorge Chavez International Airport and Air Force Unit 2 at 11:47 p.m. (Peru time). Lima is 13 hours behind Manila.
The official delegation of President Duterte include Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.
This is the first time Duterte is attending the annual APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) after being elected as the country’s president last May.
Carrying this year’s theme, “Quality Growth and Human Capital Development: Foundation for Sustainable Growth in the Asia-Pacific ,” all 21 member economies are set to discuss effective policies to support sustainable economic growth and prosperity within the region.
The President will kick off his official schedule here on Saturday by participating in the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Dialogue with Leaders between the 21 leaders and 63 CEOs from the world’s top companies to be held at the Lima Convention Center.
This year’s APEC Chair and Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski is expected to deliver the welcome remarks.
The ABAC dialogue will be followed by the breakout sessions where leaders will discuss a wide range of topics under various themes such as Taking Asia Pacific to the next level of economic integration; growing global Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); building larger, robust inclusive financial markets; promoting sustainable development; regulatory quality; and connectivity agenda.
After the ABAC, the President is scheduled to participate in the 2nd Informal dialogue with the APEC-Pacific Alliance, a grouping of Latin American countries (Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru).
The President is also expected to attend another informal dialogue between APEC leaders and Facebook CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, where the latter will discuss digital connectivity and the key challenges he has been facing.
The President’s day will be capped off by the gala dinner to be hosted by Peruvian President Kuczynski at the Parque dela Reserva (Park of the Reserve).
On the second day, President Duterte is scheduled to attend an informal dialogue with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde, where she is expected to discuss the current global economic outlook.
The President is scheduled to participate in two retreats.
In the first retreat, the topics to be discussed are challenges to trade and investment in the current global context, ways to promote voluntary reforms in support of free trade and capital mobility, systems to boost the SMEs, internationalization or connection and participation in the global value chain, and ways to maximize opportunities offered by the digital, trade services and knowledge economy.
In the second retreat, the leaders will tackle food security, climate change, and access to water, and connectivity.
The President will then witness the adoption of the 24th APEC 2016 Leaders’ Declaration.
At the sidelines of the meetings, the President is expected to hold bilateral meetings with other heads of state but it has yet to be finalized.PND |
