2025 APEC High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy
Joint Ministerial Statement
15th High Level Meeting On Health And The Economy 2025
Seoul, Republic of Korea
1. The 15th APEC High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy (HLMHE) convened in Seoul, Republic of Korea, on 16 September 2025, under the theme “Connect, Innovate, Prosper: Building a Healthy, Smart and Aging-Responsive Society”. The HLMHE15 was chaired by the Minister of Health and Welfare of the Republic of Korea, H.E. Dr. Jeong Eun Kyeong.
2. We reaffirm our collective commitment to strengthening resilient and sustainable health systems that support healthy populations and economic growth across the Asia-Pacific region. Guided by the Putrajaya Vision 2040 and the Aotearoa Plan of Action, we recognize the importance of coordinated regional actions for health systems’ strengthening, demographic challenge responses, economic growth and technological innovation.
Promoting Healthy and Active Aging in a Changing Demographic Landscape
3. We acknowledge the profound demographic shifts occurring in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly the challenges posed by low birth rates and rapid population aging. We support efforts to promote healthy and active aging by strengthening policies that enable older people to meaningfully engage in society and the economy, improve access to quality health services, and enhance well-being across all stages of life.
4. We support cross-sectoral strategies that span health, employment, finance, and digital innovation to promote aging-responsive societies and reduce the long-term economic challenge of demographic change. In this context, we welcome the ongoing work and dialogue on demographic changes under the leadership of host economy, Republic of Korea, by the end of this year.
Building Sustainable Health Systems and Improving Health for All
5. We reaffirm our commitment to support access to high quality essential health services for all, leaving no one behind. We underscore the importance of financing and governance efforts that enhance the efficiency, transparency, and resilience of health systems.
6. We welcome initiatives that strengthen the sustainability of health systems considering financial and operational aspects. We recognize the potential of digital solutions to improve health service delivery, and promote innovation of digital health for all, and foster wider access and responsible public-private partnerships.
Harnessing Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Transform Health Systems
7. We recognize the transformative potential of digital health and AI to enhance patient-centered health service delivery, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. We welcome efforts to strengthen regional cooperation on digital health and the continued exchange of best practice on the application and use of AI to strengthen health systems, recognizing the risks and opportunities of this rapidly evolving technology.
8. Recalling APEC's prior instruments to enhance digital health services that support the transition to the formal economy, we call for increased collaboration to expand access to digital health tools and domestic capacity-building in this field, enhance health workforce digital literacy, and ensure health data interoperability while upholding privacy and Information Communications Technology security in line with applicable domestic rules and regulations for the benefit of public health. We welcome efforts to promote access to the benefits of digital technologies and AI in health services for all.
Strengthening Community-based Primary Health and Care Services
9. We recognize the provision of integrated, community-based primary health and care services as a key priority in an aging society. In particular, it is essential to establish community-based systems that integrate currently fragmented services—including medical care, long-term care, and daily living support—into a demand-driven, patient-centered continuum of care.
10. We should seek to expand services that enable individuals in need of care, especially people in vulnerable situations, to remain and age within their communities. By developing and coordinating personalized services—from preventive health management to end-of-life care—we can support healthy and dignified aging at the individual and community level.
Resilient and Efficient Healthcare Supply Chains
11. We recognize that avoiding medical supply chain disruptions promotes the flow of essential medical products, including diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics, and improves timely availability and accessibility of medicines for all. We support regional cooperation to diversify sourcing, strengthen supply chain infrastructure and promote transparency across the APEC region.
12. We emphasize interoperable digital health platforms, risk-informed contingency planning including collaborative capacity building to improve preparedness and responsiveness to future health emergencies. We foster public-private partnerships that accelerate innovation, reduce the digital divide, and contribute to the long-term resilience and sustainability of health systems.
Enhancing Comprehensive Cancer Control Across the Life Course
13. We reaffirm the importance of integrated approaches to cancer prevention, screening, diagnostics, treatment, and palliative care. We commend member economies’ continued efforts in promoting cancer control and their support for capacity-building in this area. We support sharing of best practices and resource mobilization in screening, diagnostics, and care coordination to improve outcomes across the cancer continuum.
14. We support collaborative efforts to advance programs to eliminate cervical cancer through multisectoral partnerships1 and the engagement of member economies in knowledge exchange and best practice sharing. We recognize the need to achieve better health outcomes by promoting well-being and equality in addressing women and girls’ health needs in the Asia-Pacific region.
Strengthening Mental Health and Wellbeing
15. We recognize mental health as an essential part of healthy populations and economic resilience, with a holistic view of health and wellbeing. We support preventive, promotive approaches that ensure access to mental health services for all — including those in vulnerable situations.
16. We encourage economies to scale up access to community mental health services in community settings, reduce stigma, and invest in mental health promotion and early intervention for all.
Strengthening the Resilience of Health Systems to Environmental Challenges from Extreme Weather Variability and Natural Disasters
17. We recognize the profound impact of environmental challenges from extreme weather variability and natural disasters on global health. We support information sharing and resource mobilization to prepare for, respond to, and forecast extreme weather events, while advancing integrated international strategies that center on environmental challenges and health with a focus on those in vulnerable situations.
18. We acknowledge that environmental challenges from extreme weather variability and natural disasters lead to multifaceted health impacts, particularly affecting those in vulnerable situations, while contributing to shifts in patterns of both infectious and non-infectious diseases and increasing the risk of outbreaks, both regionally and globally. We call for the sharing of best practice and knowledge, and encourage diverse international and multisectoral collaboration.
Multisectoral Approach to Preventing and Responding to Future Public Health Emergencies
19. We reaffirm the importance of a multisectoral approach in addressing the interdependence between human, animal, plant health, and the wider environment. We support joint efforts across sectors to build and improve coordinated multisectoral surveillance systems and early warning systems for health emergencies.
20. We emphasize the urgency of strengthening prevention, preparedness, and response to outbreaks, both regionally and globally. We encourage cross-border collaboration, multisectoral coordination, joint risk communication, and research cooperation to improve regional and global response capacity.
Strengthening Regional Collaboration and Looking Ahead
21. We underscore the importance of continued regional collaboration through the APEC Health Working Group (HWG) and Sub-Working Groups. We support alignment with other APEC fora and regional partners to maximize collective impact and address shared challenges.
22. We welcome the participation of the APEC Secretariat, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), and the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC). We foster public-private partnerships, aligned with APEC’s priorities, to improve collaboration and innovation to advance our shared health and economic objectives.
23. We look forward to further discussions at the 16th High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy.
1 Cervical Cancer Elimination Roadmap for 2026-2030