Preparations for the 2018 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit are progressing well.
Papua New Guinea will host APEC, a series of major international meetings that will end with the Summit of Leaders in Port Moresby in November 2018.
Chief Secretary to Government, Isaac Lupari, said the benefits of APEC for PNG will come with the exposure.
Chief Secretary, Isaac Lupari, said although hosting the APEC Leaders’ Summit will cost a bit, once the world leaders are in PNG, the whole world will focus on the country. He said critics need to know that the economic benefits from hosting APEC will be huge.
PNG APEC Authority CEO, Christopher Hawkins, said preparations have stepped up to confirm the regional locations and ensure accreditation systems are effective for the expected 15,000 delegations.
PNG’s Senior Official to APEC, Ivan Pomaleu, said PNG hopes to go to APEC in June or July with a notional calendar and that will set in stone the draft work program and schedules for 2018.
Col. Siale Diro from the safety and security committee said they are now transitioning from strategic deliberations to operations. He said international partners have also indicated the types of assistance they will provide to PNG.
PNG has already successfully hosted for smaller APEC meetings over the past year, as well as other major summits including the African, Caribbean and Pacific Leaders Summit.
Through careful planning and good communications, Papua New Guinea is looking to host a successful APEC Summit.
