ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION (ECOTECH)

Economic and Technical Cooperation comprises training and other cooperative activities to build skills and transfer knowledge to assist all APEC members so that they can participate in the regional economy and reach the APEC goals of free and open trade and investment in the region.

APEC continues to discuss in improving the mechanism and funding criteria for ECOTECH projects. In assessing APEC-funded projects in 2011, pursuant to instructions from Leaders' and Ministers, priority should be given with special emphasis on developing economies in accordance with the following rankings and be used for ranking all of APEC's funded projects. Priorities for 2011 are based on the following areas:

Rank 1: Project that specifically and significantly contribute to promoting regional economic integration via free and open trade and investment;

Rank 2: Projects that directly support the Action Plan in the APEC Leaders' Growth Strategy; and

Rank 3: Projects that are linked to other priorities identified by Leaders and ministers but are less closely linked to regional economic integration via free and open trade investment.

Capacity Building Programmes

In 2010, APEC allocated a total of US$5.4 million for capacity building activities.  The projects are funded through:

  • Operational Account (US$870,000);
  • Trade and Investment Liberalisation & Facilitation Fund (US$1.23 million); and
  • APEC Support Fund (US$3.3 million)

MITI organised the “APEC Workshop on Self-Certification of Origin 11-12 October in Kuala Lumpur”.  A total of 71 Malaysians and 24 APEC participants attended the workshop. Other ECOTECH projects and meetings implemented in Malaysia in 2010:

  • 34 th APEC Expert Group Meeting on New and Renewable Energy Technologies (EGNRET), 26-27 April 2010;
  • APEC Conference: SME Development and Financing at the Threshold of the Next Decade - Review, Re-strategize, Re-vamp, 16 July 2010;
  • The Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum: "Trade Facilitation for Regional Connectivity: Advancing Paperless Trade 5-6 October 2010;
  • APEC Workshop on Enhancing Food Security through A Regional Approach and Wide Stakeholder Participation in Plant Biosecurity, 1-3rd December 2010; and
  • APEC Financial Regulators Training Initiative: Market Supervision (Securities), 13-17 th December 2010.

Key achievements for 2010:

  • implemented the new ECOTECH framework and enhanced APEC's engagement with private sector, ABAC and other multilateral organisations;
  • examined improvements made by sub-foras, their accountability and communications;
  • undertook a review of the prioritisation trial and quality criteria of APEC projects; and