APEC Business Advisory Council to Meet 7-10 August in Hong Kong, China
The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), the private sector arm of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC), will hold its third meeting of 2002 in Hong Kong, China, 7-10 August.
This will be the third ABAC meeting of APEC's Mexico Year, when Mexico hosts the meeting of APEC Economic Leaders in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur in October. ABAC's theme for the year is "Sharing Development to Reinforce Global Security". During the course of their meeting in Sydney, ABAC members will have the opportunity to meet top leaders of government and business in Hong Kong, China. In conjunction with the ABAC meeting, there will also be a business conference on the development of Small and Medium Enterprises on 9 August.
ABAC comprises up to three senior business representatives from each of APEC's 21 member economies appointed by their respective heads of economy to advise APEC Economic Leaders and Ministers on issues affecting business. The Council is chaired this year by Mr. Javier Prieto de la Fuente, Senior Vice President of External Affairs of the CEMEX Group. ABAC's work during the year will be to draft and finalize the text of its Report to APEC Economic Leaders. The five bodies set up within ABAC this year that are developing the priorities are task forces on finance, small and medium enterprises, business facilitation, and technology as well as an Action Plan Monitoring Committee.
As in the past years, ABAC is developing a final report that will contain recommendations on ways to improve business and investment in the APEC region and to help ensure that all in the region enjoy the benefits of globalization. ABAC members will present ABAC's recommendations to APEC Economic Leaders when they meet in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, October 26-27. It is the task of this meeting in Hong Kong to develop the final draft of these recommendations and to prepare for the ABAC Dialogue with the APEC Leaders in Los Cabos.
In a change from the practices of past years, ABAC this year is presenting a pre-report to APEC Ministers, including to the Ministers Responsible for Trade and Ministers for tourism, energy, small and medium enterprises, and finance. This pre-report briefs Ministers on the ABAC priorities that require immediate implementation.
Press Arrangements and Contacts
Mr. Prieto along with the Taskforce and Committee Chairs and co-Chairs will hold a press conference to report on the outcomes of the meeting at 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Saturday, 10 August, in Room 605, Level 6 of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong (Tel: 852-2588-1234; Fax: 852-2802-0677; E-mail: [email protected] ). Representatives from print and electronic media outlets are invited to attend. In addition, television cameras will be allowed to film the opening moments of the first ABAC plenary session at 09:00 a.m. on Thursday, 8 August, in Room 601, Level 6 of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Requests for interviews with individual ABAC members may be directed to the contacts below.
ABAC's 2001 Report to APEC Leaders is available on the ABAC and APEC websites:
Additional background information about ABAC is already available at that site. To order a bound volume of the ABAC Report, contact Mr. Basilio as indicated below.