Inter-regional diplomacy is alive

In the opinion of APEC, COVID-19 is one of the most challenging health and economic crises of our times.

A significant reminder of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration is about the APEC 2020 complex theme formulated as : "Optimising Human Potential towards a Resilient Future of Shared Prosperity. Pivot. Prioritise. Progress. APEC aligned its efforts along the priorities of: Improving the Narrative of Trade and Investment; Inclusive Economic Participation through Digital Economy and Technology; and Driving Innovative Sustainability".

The major part of the Declaration is dedicated to combatting and mitigating the impacts of COVID-19.In practical terms, APEC reaffirmed the need to cooperate constructively on COVID-19 including the research and development, production, manufacturing and distribution of diagnostic tests, essential medical products and services, therapeutics and vaccines.

APEC highlighted in this context the importance of facilitating equitable access to safe, quality, effective and affordable vaccines and other medical counter-measures that are vital to safeguard people's health and well-being, while incentivising innovation.

It was also acknowledged that the role of extensive immunisation against COVID-19 is critical in order to bring the pandemic to an end.

From the perspective of multilateralism , it should be mentioned in particular the collective commitment of APEC to support the on-going work at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), including through its necessary reform aimed to improve its functioning.

For obvious reasons, the topic about inclusive economic participation through digital economy and technology could not be absent from the Declaration. In this regard, it is necessary to signal the collective commitment to foster an enabling environment for the development of the digital economy, as well as to promote economic policies and growth that support global efforts to tackle climate change, extreme weather and natural disasters, and strengthen emergency preparedness.

An attentive reading of the declaration reveals the fact that the United Nations and the World Health Organisation are never mentioned by their name in the text, in spite of the generally recognized role of these institutions in fighting COVID-19. While citing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the sponsoring world organisation, which is the UN, is absent from the official name of this programme, as quoted in the Declaration.

The second document officially entitled APEC Putrajava Vision 2040 starts with the important reminder that "Our Vision is an open, dynamic, resilient and peaceful Asia-Pacific community by 2040, for the prosperity of all our people and future generations".How to achieve this objective ?

The short answer is: "Remaining committed to APEC's mission and its voluntary, non-binding and consensus-building principles".For doing that, the following three drivers are enumerated: Trade and Investment;Innovation and Digitalisation;Strong, Balanced, Secure, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth.

In more specific terms, APEC wishes "[t]o ensure that the Asia-Pacific remains the world's most dynamic and interconnected regional economy…. and will continue to work together to deliver, a free, open, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent and predictable trade and investment environment".

In addition, APEC "will pursue structural reforms and sound economic policies to promote innovation as well as improve productivity" and APEC partners will "strengthen digital infrastructure, accelerate digital transformation, narrow the digital divide, as well as cooperate on facilitating the flow of data and strengthening consumer and business trust in digital transactions".