Stephen Jacobi, NZIBF Executive Director, speaks to the Confederation of Indian Industry Partnership Summit in New Delhi about The Future of Multilateralism.
APEC Economic Leaders’ Statement Overcoming COVID-19 and Accelerating Economic Recovery

Issued by the APEC Informal Leaders’ Retreat
Wellington, New Zealand, 16 July 2021
We, the APEC Economic Leaders met on 16 July 2021 to discuss the COVID-19 health and economic crisis and response. The pandemic continues to have a devastating impact on our region’s people and economies. Our efforts to diagnose and treat COVID-19 continue to be essential. But we will only overcome this health emergency by accelerating equitable access to safe, effective, quality-assured, and affordable COVID-19 vaccines. We recognise the role of extensive immunisation against COVID-19 as a global public good. To that end, we will redouble our efforts to expand vaccine manufacture and supply, support global vaccine sharing efforts, and encourage the voluntary transfer of vaccine production technologies on mutually agreed terms. We must ensure our health systems cover all people and have the resilience to cope with current and future shocks. We welcome the varied and continuous efforts as well as the contribution of additional resources across APEC to combat the pandemic. We are committed to realising our Putrajaya Vision of an open, dynamic, resilient and peaceful Asia-Pacific community by 2040, for the prosperity of all our people and future generations.
Strong, Balanced, Secure, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth
As we move beyond the immediate crisis, we will work to ensure all our people have the opportunities and resources they need to adapt to change – no one should be left behind. Noting the historic significance of the fiscal stimulus already provided, we have and will continue to support our economies for as long as necessary. Our Ministers are exchanging views on macroeconomic and structural policies to accelerate economic recovery in the region. We will target measures where they are needed to facilitate job creation and inclusive economic recovery, including actions that enable women to participate fully in the recovery. We will continue to promote seamless connectivity and resilient supply chains for all our businesses and people. In designing a sustainable recovery, and aligned with global efforts, we reiterate the importance of economic policies, cooperation and growth that contribute to tackling climate change and other serious environmental challenges. We will continue to promote sustainable financing and quality infrastructure development and investment based on relevant APEC work.
Innovation and Digitalisation
Given the significant and diverse impact of COVID-19 on our people and businesses, now is a crucial time to pursue sound economic policies to sustain jobs, increase economic productivity, and advance innovation. Recognising some people and businesses will need to move into new sectors, we will work together on a growth-focused structural reform agenda that delivers inclusive, resilient, sustainable, and innovation-friendly outcomes. We will support our people to adapt to the future of work. We will harness innovation that enables our people and businesses, particularly MSMEs, to emerge stronger through decent work and increased opportunities. We will move forward together towards a digital future, strengthening digital infrastructure and technologies. We acknowledge the importance of cooperation on facilitating the flow of data and strengthening consumer and business trust in digital transactions. We will support measures designed to foster digital transformation and contribute to bridging the digital divide, including digital literacy and skills.
Trade and Investment
We underscore the essential role of trade and investment and an interconnected regional economy in tackling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and in enabling a strong economic recovery for all our people. Our Ministers are working to ensure the region’s supply chains support the safe and efficient distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and related goods. We are committed to working together to facilitate the flow of goods and services, especially those that most support our health and economic response at this critical time. We must pave the way for the safe resumption of cross-border travel, without undermining efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We acknowledge the importance of a free, open, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent and predictable trade and investment environment, which can help combat the far-reaching impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. We will advance economic integration in the region to facilitate recovery. At this critical juncture, the World Trade Organization should continue to demonstrate that global trade rules can support the recovery from the health and economic crisis, and we will work constructively to that end.
We thank New Zealand for chairing and look forward to meeting again at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November.
Haumi ē, Hui ē, Tāiki ē.
Join, Work, Grow. Together.
REGISTER WITH TRADE WORKS
Register to stay up to date with latest news, as well as saving and discussing articles you’re interested in.
Latest News
Remarks to Confederation of Indian Industry Partnership Summit, New Delhi, 15 March 2023
"The Future of Multilateralism" by Stephen Jacobi, NZIBF Executive Director Namaskar Tēnā koutou katoa – greetings to you all in the language of the Māori people of Aotearoa New Zealand. It is an honour for me to speak to such a distinguished gathering today....
AMIDST THE STORM: ABAC MEETS IN AUCKLAND
Perhaps a cyclone was after all a fitting backdrop for the meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) which was held in Auckland on 12-14 February – the global environment against which the meeting took place is decidedly stormy. In the event the wind...
Asia-Pacific business leaders call for action on climate and economic inclusion
APEC NEWS RELEASE Issued by The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Auckland, 14 February 2023 - Members of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) met in Auckland, New Zealand this week to develop a work plan that calls on policymakers to leverage trade and...
ASIA-PACIFIC BUSINESS LEADERS GATHERING IN AUCKLAND, 12-14 FEBRUARY 2023
Media Release - 8 February 2023 Equity, sustainability and opportunity are key themes of one of the largest gatherings of senior Asia-Pacific business leaders held in New Zealand for some time. The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) is due to meet in Tāmaki...
A YEAR FOR RECONNECTING
As I write this end of year dispatch, NZIBF is preparing to host the first meeting for 2023 of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). We are looking forward to welcoming the 200 or so business leaders and senior officials from APEC member economies across the...
MAJOR GATHERING OF ASIA-PACIFIC BUSINESS LEADERS TO BE HELD IN AUCKLAND, 12-14 FEBRUARY 2023
Media Release - 14 December 2022 Sustainability, digitalisation and resilient, inclusive trade will be key themes of a major gathering of senior Asia-Pacific business leaders to be held in Auckland early next year – the first such event to be held in New Zealand...
NZ Herald: Time to lift our game in India
Following his recent visit to India our Executive Director Stephen Jacobi penned this article advocating a more strategic approach to the further development of the relationship. The article was published by the NZ Herald on 9 December.
APEC Rolls out Priorities for 2023
Issued by the Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting - Honolulu, The United States, 13 December 2022 Aiming to provide tailwinds for member economies to strengthen recovery and resilience, as well as advance broad-based economic growth, the United States rolled out its...
NZIBF 2022 Chair Report
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2022 CHAIR’S REPORT I am pleased to present my second report on the activities and achievements of the NZ International Business Forum (NZIBF) for 2022-23, our fifteenth year of operations. At the outset I would like to thank Members for...
APEC Leaders Issue 2022 Declaration and the Bangkok Goals on the Bio-Circular-Green Economy
Issued by the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting Bangkok, Thailand, 19 November 2022 The Leaders of the 21 APEC member economies issued the 2022 Leaders’ Declaration following the 29th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting chaired by the Prime Minister of Thailand,...
NZ BUSINESS LEADERS AT APEC 2022
New Zealand business will be represented at the APEC Leaders’ Week in Bangkok, commencing 13 November, by members of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). New Zealand’s three members – Rachel Taulelei, Malcolm Johns and Anna Curzon – supported by Stephen Jacobi...
Submission to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Re-Development of the Framework for Integrating Labour Standards and Trade Agreements
Submission by NZIBF – October 2022 This submission is made on behalf of the NZ International Business Forum (NZIBF), whose members are listed at Annex A[1]. NZIBF is a forum of senior business leaders working together to promote New Zealand’s engagement in the global...
Address to the 51st One Stop Update for The Accountant In Business, 25 October 2022
ADDRESS TO THE 51st ONE STOP UPDATE FOR THE ACCOUNTANT IN BUSINESS AUCKLAND, 25 OCTOBER 2022 STEPHEN JACOBI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NZ INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FORUM GLOBAL ECONOMIC UPDATE Thanks to Brightstar for inviting me back to address this conference once again. When...
Submission to MPI on Modernising Our Export Assurances Systems: Legislative Options
Submission by Export NZ and NZIBF - 29 September 2022 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Export New Zealand (ExportNZ) and the New Zealand International Business Forum (NZIBF) welcome the opportunity to comment on the Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI) Modernising Our Export...
Submission to MFAT for CPTPP Review
30 September 2022 Phil Mellor Economic Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Wellington (By email) Dear Phil, Thank you for your email of 1 September, seeking our comments on the three year review of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans...