ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION (ECOTECH)

• APEC’s ECOTECH projects are funded through:

  • Operational Account;
  • Trade and Investment Liberalisation & Facilitation Special Account; and
  • APEC Support Fund & Sub-Funds.

• Funding is based on priorities identified by SOM and ranked according to its importance. Priorities for 2014:

  • Projects that specifically and significantly contribute to promoting regional economic integration via free and open trade and investment;
  • Projects that directly support the APEC Leaders' Growth Strategy; and
  • 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 and investment.

• Projects approved from 2012-2014

  • 103 projects funded in 2012 amounting to US$11.5 million.
  • 74 projects funded in 2013 amounting to US8.3 million.
  • 71 projects funded in 2014 amounting to US$ 9.4 million.

Capacity Building Programmes in 2014

• In 2014, a total of 160 representatives from the Malaysian public and private sector participated in 81 fully sponsored APEC capacity building programmes organised.

• ECOTECH projects implemented in Malaysia in 2014:

  1. “APEC Workshop on Environmental Services in the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainability” organised by Services Division, MITI from 14-15 October 2014, Kuala Lumpur (APEC Contribution, US$146,000);
  2. “Establishing Best Practices on Human Capital Development to Enhance Productivity, Quality, Competitiveness and Innovation among SMEs” organised by Malaysia Productivity Corporation from 8-8 December 2014, Kuala Lumpur (APEC Contribution, US$150,000); and
  3. “APEC New Strategy for Structural Reform (ANSSR)” organised and funded by Australia from 3-6 June 2014, Kuala Lumpur.

• ECOTECH projects to be implemented in Malaysia in 2015:

  1. “APEC Young Scientist Workshop on Effective Science Communication in the 21st Century” will be organised by Academy Science of Malaysia, in January 2015, Kuala Lumpur (APEC Contribution, US$130,000);
  2. “Medical External Quality Assurance Capacity Building Programme” will be organised by Standards Malaysia, in October 2015, Kuala Lumpur (APEC Contribution, US$118,030); and
  3. “APEC Workshop - Sharing Best Practices on Public Consultations” will be organised by Malaysia Productivity Corporation in May 2015, Kuala Lumpur (APEC Contribution, US$138,495).