BANGKOK, Nov 16 (TNA) – A senior officials’ meeting (SOM) on the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) intended to make FTAAP the world’s biggest free trade area and will conclude plans to increase trade and investment in the regions.
Thanee Thongpakdee, Thai ambassador to the UK and APEC 2022 SOM Chair, presided over the second official meeting of senior officials of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation this morning. The meeting planned to propose to the APEC summit and APEC ministers’ meetings that FTAAP be developed to be the world’s biggest free trade area.
Mr Thanee said the Steering Committee on Economic and Technical Cooperation (SCE) had collaboration with many parties to cope with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The collaboration included training, skill development and information exchange through the Economic and Technical Cooperation (ECOTECH) to increase capabilities and narrow down economic gaps.
“SCE has goals and cooperation initiatives including the use of the bio-circular-green economic model which focuses on sustainable development and smart cities, ministerial cooperation on forest issues, the empowerment of SMEs, the promotion of women’s economic roles and the Food Security Roadmap Towards 2030,” Mr Thanee said. (TNA)
