Closing the gap between information rich and information poor APEC works toward food and energy security Healthy, wealthy and wise - Improving APEC's health security On the APEC agenda: corporate social responsibility In the News      APEC Ministers Adopt Bangkok Declaration and Open Virtual Floodgates      APEC Ministers Take on the Digital Divide      Hong Kong, China Signs MOU with APEC for US$ 500,000 Contribution      Structural Reform a Precursor to Regional Growth      Broader Adoption of Agricultural Biotechnology for APEC Economies      E-Governance a Defining Factor in Structural Reform      APEC Website - News and Media Upcoming Events Publications Selected Webcasts and Podcasts E-NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTION PAST E-NEWSLETTER EDITIONS

Vol.16, January 2008      Bangkok, Thailand, 25 April 2008 Universal access is not enough, say Ministers at the 7th APEC Ministerial Meeting on the Telecommunications and Information Industry (TELMIN 7). Adopted today after a series of meetings entitled, "Digital Prosperity: Turning Challenges into Achievement," the Bangkok Declaration boldly asserts the importance of cross-border telecommunications that are not only efficient but insists that they should be "seamless." Bangkok, Thailand, 21 April 2008 With free trade and investment as goal, the swift flow of information between economies is critical. To this end, APEC has already tripled internet access since 2000. Nonetheless, access and expertise still varies between economies and Ministers have determined to reduce these disparities. Lima, Peru, 2 March, 2008 Hong Kong, China has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the APEC Secretariat for the donation of US$ 500,000 toward the Second Trade Facilitation Plan (TFAP II). The MOU earmarks funds for capacity building activities through the APEC Support Fund (ASF). The ASF provides a flexible funding mechanism to support capacity building activities for APEC developing economies. Lima, Peru, February 29, 2008 Addressing costs and red tape and encouraging business across the region is key to economic growth said presenters to the APEC Senior Officials Policy Dialogue on Structural Reform. According to the World Bank, 10 APEC economies are among the top 30 countries in which doing business is considered "easy." At the same time, behind-the-border issues such as high transaction costs and non-conducive policies, remain a challenge to regional economic growth. Lima, Peru, February 27, 2008 As agricultural biotechnology gains popularity, the High Level Policy Dialogue on Agricultural Biotechnology (HLPDAB) gathered government officials from APEC Economies to discuss regulatory systems and policies related to transgenic crop products. Transgenic crops are helping to revolutionize farming, decreasing the need for pesticides and herbicides and allowing for more environmentally friendly no-till agricultural methods. In 2007, farmers worldwide planted over 114 million hectares of transgenic crops, a 12% increase over 2006 levels and 22% above 2005. In fact, more transgenic crops have been planted every year since 1996 Lima, Peru, February 27, 2008 E-governance is critical to the ability of an economy to improve government efficiency and transparency, say officials at an APEC Economic Committee (EC) workshop. The workshop contributes to the EC's program for structural reform, drew a close parallel between e-governance and good governance. Yet, while studies indicate that governments are moving forward in e-government development around the world, progress is slow and often disparate. To view all recent APEC media releases, speeches and fact sheets, click on Find Out More.

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