9 Things Prime Minister O’Neill said at APEC

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill delivered remarks in front of local and visiting members of the business community in Port Moresby on Friday, kicking off a two-day summit that brings together the region’s leaders and the private sector ahead of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

Hosting APEC 2018

1. “Hosting APEC in Papua New Guinea has been a challenging one, but also rewarding for all citizens of our country as we open up Papua New Guinea to the world. We have been a member of APEC since 1993.
2. “After 25 years of membership, I think, it was time. It was the right time to host this prestigious event. More importantly it is the right time to host this event because our economy continues to grow.”

   Investing in APEC

3. “Through the APEC process we are also promoting our culture, our heritage and our economy to the world. This is now attracting new capital into the country. APEC involvement is an investment in our economy.”
4. “It’s an investment for our people. Through the APEC policy discussions, and our work in the regulatory reforms—these are deepening our regional economic integration. We are increasing trade and business in the region.”

   A More Inclusive Society

5. “How do we be a more inclusive society where everyone can benefit from economic growth and development? How do we reduce inequality and remove unfair practices in our region? That is why the work in the APEC process is very important. Our member economies, our governments and our businesses must continue to create opportunities—and that can be done also by embracing the digital revolution.”
6. “Free trade is vital. And of course, this alone will not deliver the sustained and the wider economic development that we aspire. Policies must be aimed at improving productivity, raising low and middle-income levels so that we can be able to make a better of standard of living for our people.”

   The Rules-based Multilateral Trading System

7. “Smaller economies like Papua New Guinea place considerable reliance on international trade, and especially on international trade rules. We suffer when rules are broken or ignored, and we benefit when rules are followed by all countries, large and small.”

   The Digital Revolution

8. “All APEC members today are expanding their digital access. We look to the private sector to capitalize on this and make investments that lead to more innovations.”
9. “The digital revolution offers us the prospect of ensuring that no citizen is left behind, but certainly this is not automatic: we must all work together.”