Delegates thank APEC for boosting trade, growth in region

Delegates attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council (ABAC) meeting in Bali on Monday expressed their thankfulness for the significant growth that APEC has brought to them.  [Special coverage]

They said that joining the APEC has significantly increased the exports and paved the way for more trade and opportunities with other member economies.

Mark Johnson, a delegate from Australia, said that progresses were seen in initiatives discussed in field of financial integration, connectivity and efforts to address small-middle sized enterprises, which were highly expected to create more jobs for the people.

A delegate from Malaysia, Ahmad Tajudin Ali said that the APEC initiatives meet the needs of economies in the region.

"Through various initiatives produced here, we can find new markets to be opened up for us," Ahmad Tajudin Ali said.

Ahmad added that more serious works needs to be carried out by the APEC and its members due to the constraints both from inside each economy and from outside the bloc.

The ABAC is a non-governmental entity that advise the APEC leaders on priority business issues in the region. APEC leaders established ABAC in 1995.

ABAC members are appointed by their respective leaders, while each economy from each of 21 APEC economies has up to three members of the private sector.

In his keynote speech at the meeting, Wisnu Wardana, an Indonesian businessman who chairs ABAC this year encouraged the business sector to support APEC and maintain the strategic momentum leading up to the summit.