Vladivostok, 5 September 2012- The Minister of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia, Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamad, highlighted the importance of freer in ensuring food security and reiterated Malaysia’s commitment to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) initiative to promote green growth and sustainable development.
On food security, the APEC Ministers highlighted the need to ensure trade in agricultural products and food is facilitated through appropriate policy responses. They wanted to see greater collaboration to ensure food security, including in intensified agricultural research, and sharing of best practices through the APEC Platform.
In his intervention during the meeting, Dato’ Sri Mustapa stressed, “Agriculture and food security are high on the Malaysian agenda. Malaysia views that food production and trade in agricultural products can be further enhanced through the dismantling of market distorting measures in global agriculture trade.” Minister Mustapa also called on economies to refrain from adopting protectionist and export restrictive measures that can create imbalances in international agriculture production and supply to avoid volatility in food prices.
Dato’ Sri Mustapa also stressed efforts to increase investments in the agricultural sector cannot be e responsibility of the Government alone. “Businesses play an equally important role through investments in the agricultural sector. And not just the large companies, but also the small farmers. In fact small scale farmers can play an important role in augmenting food production and contribute towards food security in the short and medium term”, he added.
Minister Mustapa further called on his APEC counterparts to develop a specific work programme to deal with food security and ensure that there are mechanisms in place to monitor the implementation of the work programme.
On the green growth initiative, Malaysia tabled a list of more than 100 products for inclusion in the APEC list of Environmental Goods and Services (EGS).
The development of the environmental goods list in APEC is ground-breaking for APEC member economies as this is the first of its kind for any regional grouping. The proposal is for tariffs for the final list of products to be lowered to 5% and below in 2015. “However,” Minister Mustapa stressed that, “more needs to be done to expand the list so that it is more meaningful and credible.” He added, “The implementation of an expanded list has the potential of significantly contributing to the sustainable development and environmental agenda of the region, and facilitate greater market access for Malaysia’s exports of these products”.
For the past 9 months officials from APEC member economies have been working towards a common list of EGS as a starting point in the regional green growth objective. Ministers of APEC urged officials to intensify efforts to conclude consensus list to be presented to Leaders.
According to YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa, the achievement by APEC can now be the basis for larger initiatives for freer trade of environmental goods. “This commitment by APEC member economies is about walking the talk. There is nothing more concrete than when trade barriers are removed to achieve a common goal”, he added.
From Malaysia’s perspective, the green initiative will be a win-win situation. Malaysian exporters of green products will enjoy better market access in the region whereas the consumers in Malaysia will enjoy better selection and prices of these products. The policies in Malaysia involving environmental development and renewable energy will be accelerated when the initiative is implemented in 2015.
On the WTO issues, Minister Mustapa reiterated Malaysia’s call for APEC Members to continue efforts to negotiate a successful outcome on the Doha Round issues. Malaysia called on the WTO to launch negotiations to expand the product coverage to be liberalised under the Information Technology Agreement. With this expansion, Malaysia will further benefit from the ITA, which was first negotiated in 1996 and accounts for 97% of global trade in information technology products.
The two-day meeting which began today has four priority areas – trade and investment liberalisation and regional economic integration, food security, enhancing the global supply chain and innovation.
The outcomes of the Ministerial Meeting will be reported to the 21 APEC Leaders when they meet on 8-9 September 2012. The Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak will be attending the 2-day Leaders’ meeting.
On food security, the APEC Ministers highlighted the need to ensure trade in agricultural products and food is facilitated through appropriate policy responses. They wanted to see greater collaboration to ensure food security, including in intensified agricultural research, and sharing of best practices through the APEC Platform.
In his intervention during the meeting, Dato’ Sri Mustapa stressed, “Agriculture and food security are high on the Malaysian agenda. Malaysia views that food production and trade in agricultural products can be further enhanced through the dismantling of market distorting measures in global agriculture trade.” Minister Mustapa also called on economies to refrain from adopting protectionist and export restrictive measures that can create imbalances in international agriculture production and supply to avoid volatility in food prices.
Dato’ Sri Mustapa also stressed efforts to increase investments in the agricultural sector cannot be e responsibility of the Government alone. “Businesses play an equally important role through investments in the agricultural sector. And not just the large companies, but also the small farmers. In fact small scale farmers can play an important role in augmenting food production and contribute towards food security in the short and medium term”, he added.
Minister Mustapa further called on his APEC counterparts to develop a specific work programme to deal with food security and ensure that there are mechanisms in place to monitor the implementation of the work programme.
On the green growth initiative, Malaysia tabled a list of more than 100 products for inclusion in the APEC list of Environmental Goods and Services (EGS).
The development of the environmental goods list in APEC is ground-breaking for APEC member economies as this is the first of its kind for any regional grouping. The proposal is for tariffs for the final list of products to be lowered to 5% and below in 2015. “However,” Minister Mustapa stressed that, “more needs to be done to expand the list so that it is more meaningful and credible.” He added, “The implementation of an expanded list has the potential of significantly contributing to the sustainable development and environmental agenda of the region, and facilitate greater market access for Malaysia’s exports of these products”.
For the past 9 months officials from APEC member economies have been working towards a common list of EGS as a starting point in the regional green growth objective. Ministers of APEC urged officials to intensify efforts to conclude consensus list to be presented to Leaders.
According to YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa, the achievement by APEC can now be the basis for larger initiatives for freer trade of environmental goods. “This commitment by APEC member economies is about walking the talk. There is nothing more concrete than when trade barriers are removed to achieve a common goal”, he added.
From Malaysia’s perspective, the green initiative will be a win-win situation. Malaysian exporters of green products will enjoy better market access in the region whereas the consumers in Malaysia will enjoy better selection and prices of these products. The policies in Malaysia involving environmental development and renewable energy will be accelerated when the initiative is implemented in 2015.
On the WTO issues, Minister Mustapa reiterated Malaysia’s call for APEC Members to continue efforts to negotiate a successful outcome on the Doha Round issues. Malaysia called on the WTO to launch negotiations to expand the product coverage to be liberalised under the Information Technology Agreement. With this expansion, Malaysia will further benefit from the ITA, which was first negotiated in 1996 and accounts for 97% of global trade in information technology products.
The two-day meeting which began today has four priority areas – trade and investment liberalisation and regional economic integration, food security, enhancing the global supply chain and innovation.
The outcomes of the Ministerial Meeting will be reported to the 21 APEC Leaders when they meet on 8-9 September 2012. The Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak will be attending the 2-day Leaders’ meeting.
No announcement for today.