Leaders of APEC nations are seeking solutions to health and economic disasters induced by effects of Covid-19 Pandemic. https://www.msf.org/png-health-system-verge-collapse-following-covid-19-surge

Virtually, 20 leaders met on July 16, 2021. New Zealand’s Jacinda Adern initiated and chaired the meeting.

Those in attendance were the United States, Russia, China, Japan, Canada, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Vietnam and Papua New Guinea.

Among them were leaders from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Health Organization (WHO). The two organizations provided a report and some advice on response from their respective world organizations.

The APEC Informal Leaders Retreat began at 9pm (PNG Time) on Friday and ended at 11.30pm.

PNG’s James Marape said it  started with the IMF and WHO report presentations and a short question-answer session. Additionally, it ended with a more formal presentation from each of the 20 leaders.

Mr  Marape said he spoke emphatically on behalf of the South Pacific countries.

RENEWED COLLABORATIONS AMONGST APEC NATIONS

The leaders then released a joint statement. Everyone pledged to renew collaborative efforts. This is in light of their countries and the rest of the world experience a second, more deadly wave of the pandemic; Delta strain of the virus.https://pngsun.com/2020/04/13/papua-new-guinea-amonst-65-countries-to-benefit-from-world-bank-group/

The pandemic continues to have a devastating impact on our region’s people and economies. Our efforts to diagnose and treat COVID19 continue to be essential.

But, we will only overcome this health emergency by accelerating equitable access to safe, effective, quality assured and affordable COVID19 vaccines,” the statement read.

We recognize the role of extensive immunization against the pandemic as a global good. To that end, we will redouble our efforts to expand vaccine manufacture and production technologies on mutually agreed terms.

We must ensure our health systems cover all people efforts as well as the contribution of additional resources across APEC to combat the pandemic.”