The New Zealand International Business Forum (NZIBF) is delighted to have been invited by the Government to assume responsibility for providing policy advice to the three New Zealand members of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC).

NZIBF Chairman Graeme Harrison said the ABAC role was a natural fit for NZIBF.

“ABAC is an influential grouping of business leaders and plays an important role in improving the environment for trade and investment in the Asia Pacific region.  NZIBF brings together New Zealand’s major export sectors and leading business organisations.  With its existing projects and extensive policy expertise and networks it is well placed to assist New Zealand’s ABAC members make a strong contribution to ABAC’s trade and business agenda.”

Mr Harrison said that NZIBF strongly supported APEC’s vision of free trade in the region.

“The Asia Pacific region contains most of New Zealand’s largest trading partners. Keeping markets open, increasing trade and investment and reducing the costs of doing business will help the regional economy emerge more quickly from current economic crisis.   New Zealand has a big stake in the success of APEC”.

Mr Harrison said the NZIBF’s Executive Director Stephen Jacobi would fulfil the role of Senior Policy Adviser to ABAC concurrently with his other responsibilities.  He takes over from Brian Lynch who is retiring, having worked with ABAC for the past five years.

The second ABAC meeting for 2009 takes place next week in Brunei (12-15 May).