The Asia Pacific region has undergone a remarkable transformation in the 26 years since 18 APEC Leaders gathered in Indonesia to set forth a shared vision of achieving free and open trade and investment in the region by 2020, known as the Bogor Goals. Today, the region is the primary driver of global growth and represents 38% of the world’s population, 60% of the world’s total GDP and nearly half of all global trade.
In November, amidst a global pandemic that exposed the strengths and weaknesses of globalization, APEC Leaders gathered virtually to establish a new vision for the Asia Pacific. The APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040 recommits economies to its trade and investment agenda and establishes a framework for regional cooperation as emerging technologies redefine commerce and governments work to ensure that future growth is strong, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable.
In lieu of the Annual Luncheon, NCAPEC held the four-part virtual discussion series to explore how the public and private sectors can collaborate to achieve the objectives of the new APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040. The series launched in December 2020 and concluded in early February 2021. Following the kick-off overview session, three events focused on the three pillars of the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040: trade and investment; innovation and digitalization; strong, balanced, secure, sustainable and inclusive growth.
The series and all the sessions are available on NCAPEC’s Vimeo channel.
In the first of a four-part virtual series, leading figures from the public and private sectors explore how the three pillars of APEC’s new vision will guide economies through the challenges and opportunities facing the region.
Moderator:
- Monica Hardy Whaley, President, National Center for APEC
Panelists:
- Ahmed Mazhari, President, Microsoft Asia
- Wendy Cutler, Vice President Managing Director, Asia Society Policy Institute
- Phil O’Reilly, Managing Director, Iron Duke Partners and Chairman of the Business & Industry Advisory Committee, OECD; former Member, ABAC New Zealand.
This discussion focuses on key issues including:
- Applying the learnings from COVID-19 pandemic to harness the benefits of globalization and ensuring they are shared broadly within our societies.
- Nurturing a resilient workforce that can adapt to transformations driven by AI and other emerging technologies.
- Developing collaborative approaches for addressing climate change, building infrastructure and tackling other regional challenges.
- Creating economic opportunities that unleash the economic potential of women, minorities, and indigenous populations and open doors for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
The second installment of the Beyond Bogor series explores how trade and investment may serve as drivers of inclusive and sustainable growth in the Asia Pacific region.
Moderator:
- Sarah Thorn, Senior Director, Global Government Affairs, Walmart
Panelists:
- Dr. Mari Pangestu, Managing Director, Development Policy and Partnerships, The World Bank
- Geoff Siebengartner, Managing Director of Regulatory and Government Affairs, Asia-Pacific, FedEx
- Elissa Alben, Senior Director and Lead, Global Trade Policy and International Government Affairs, Pfizer
- Deborah Elms, Founder and Executive Director, Asian Trade Centre
This discussion focuses on key issues including:
- Applying the learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic to harness the benefits of globalization and bolster supply chain resilience.
- Utilizing technology to modernize trade facilitation infrastructure and adapt to future needs.
- Promoting policies that facilitate environmentally sustainable trade and investment in the region.
- Creating opportunities that unleash the economic potential of women, minorities, and indigenous populations and open doors for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
The third installment of the Beyond Bogor series focuses on innovation and digitalization.
Moderator:
- Steven Chan, Senior Director and Regional Head of Government Relations, Asia-Pacific, PayPal
Panelists:
- (ret.) Ted Osius, Vice President for Public Policy and Government Relations, Google
- Peter Lovelock, Director and Co-founder of the Technology Research Project Corporate
- Susan Aaronson, Research Professor and Director of the Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub, George Washington University
This discussion focuses on key issues including:
- Promoting policies and technologies that narrow the digital divide.
- Leveraging digital technologies to promote environmentally sustainable growth.
- Maximizing the benefits of emerging technologies while fostering trust and ensuring responsible use.
- Opportunities for APEC to lead regional cooperation efforts in innovation and digitalization.
The last installment of the Beyond Bogor series explores how APEC governments and the private sector can collaborate to ensure growth in the region is sustainable and inclusive and beneficial to those in the Asia-Pacific over the next 20 years.
Moderator:
- Penny Burtt, Group CEO, Asialink.
Panelists:
- Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria, Executive Director, APEC Secretariat
- Malcolm Johns, Chief Executive, Christchurch International Airport Limited; ABAC New Zealand Member
- Richard Cantor, Chief Credit Officer, Moody’s Corporation and Moody’s Investor Services; U.S. PECC Chair and PECC International Co-chair; former ABAC USA Member
This discussion focuses on key issues including:
- Identifying ways APEC can serve as a forum to promote business leadership on climate change and sustainability.
- Leveraging free trade to create economic opportunities for women, minorities, and indigenous populations.
- Developing an understanding of the role of trade and economic policies in achieving environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive growth APEC economies.
- Addressing climate risk exposure and promoting Environmental, Social and Governance investing.
The Beyond Bogor series was made possible by sponsorship from:
