PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill speaks at APEC CEO Summit

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has arrived for the APEC meeting in Manila to meet world leaders as Papua New Guinea prepares to host APEC Leaders Meeting in November 2018. "The Manila meeting is important for advancing the policy agenda that will be chaired by Papua New Guinea in three years’ time. "The main purpose of APEC Leaders’ Meeting each year is to review the work of ministers and officials that has taken place throughout the year, and to endorse APEC work program for the following year. "The main work of APEC is technical in nature and involves Government officials and businesses, but very importantly this work is given the endorsement of the heads of each APEC member government," Prime Minister  Peter O’Neill said prior to his departure. During the APEC Leaders Week in Manila, the Prime Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other countries to discuss matters of mutual concern. The APEC Leaders Week is already underway with the Concluding Senior Officials Meeting having already taken place on November 13-14, and the APEC Ministerial Meeting taking place on November 16-17.

The Leaders’ Meeting that is attended by the prime ministers and presidents of the region takes place on November 18-19. PNG will be represented at the ministerial level by Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Rimbink Pato and Public Enterprises and State Investment Minister Ben Micah. Ambassador Ivan Pomaleu is PNG’s senior official to APEC and has led the nation’s policy and technical engagement through APEC leading up to the Leaders’ Meeting in Manila. Prime Minister Hon. Peter O’Neill yesterday also spoke at the annual APEC CEO Summit. An important part of the APEC calendar, the CEO Summit brings together several hundred CEOs from around the Asia-Pacific and Europe. The subject of discussion was on Asia Pacific growth and managing concerns such as economic slowdown in major economies, reform and governance and innovation in economies.

Attendance at the CEO Summit provides an opportunity to engage with CEOs and investors from some of the world’s largest corporations. The Prime Minister Hon. Peter also had bilateral meetings with the President of the Philippines and with businesses representatives. The first formal APEC Leaders’ Meeting begins tomorrow in Manila and continues until Friday.