KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Senior officials from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies gathered in Malaysia on Friday as part of the First Senior Officials Meeting (SOM1) to discuss trade inclusivity and sustainability.
Hairil Yahri Yaacob, a senior official from Malaysia's International Trade and Industry Ministry who chaired the meeting, said the priority areas were improving the narrative of trade and investment, inclusive economic participation through digital economy and technology and driving innovative sustainability.
"Guided by the aspiration of creating equal opportunities for all the peoples in the region, APEC 2020 will focus on activities and initiatives that APEC economies can undertake as a group to advance the theme around the three corresponding priority areas," said Hairil Yahri in his opening remarks of the meeting.
"To this end, Malaysia is doing things differently this year and taking on process improvements to the existing ones in APEC for a more effective meeting and outcomes management," he said.
Malaysia hosted a series of working groups and committees meetings since earlier this month to discuss work plans and the agenda to be advanced this year.
Hairil Yahri added that Malaysia had also commenced the development process of APEC post-2020 Vision after the expiration of the Bogor Goals this year, which had been the flagship initiative of APEC since 1994.
