During 11-12 November 2024, Ms. Rujikorn Saengchantr, Acting Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs, as Thailand’s APEC Senior Official, attended the APEC Concluding Senior Officials’ Meeting (CSOM) in Lima, Peru, to round up on APEC’s work progress in 2024 and prepare for the upcoming meetings during the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week (AELW), which includes the 35th APEC Ministerial Meeting (14 November 2024) and the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting (15-16 November 2024).

The meeting noted the progress of the development of key outcome documents, namely the Ichma Statement on a New Look to advance the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific and the Lima Roadmap to Promote the Transition to the Formal and Global Economy, which will be adopted by APEC Leaders on 16 November 2024. On this occasion, member economies also endorsed the 2024 APEC Economic Policy Report (AEPR) on “Structural Reform and Financial Inclusion.” As financial inclusion is crucial for economic growth, the report provides policy recommendations to improve access to financial services for all, including by leveraging digitalization, to ensure opportunities that empowers people, including women, MSMES, and those with untapped economic potential.

At the CSOM, Thailand commends Peru’s leadership in pushing forward the key deliverables for APEC 2024, which focus on promoting sustainable, inclusive and innovative growth. Thailand also took the opportunity to express sincere appreciation to APEC member economies for advancing the implementation of the Bangkok Goals on Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy, as well as the APEC BCG Award. The winners across 3 award categories of women, youth, and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will be announced at the upcoming APEC Ministerial Meeting (AMM) on 14 November 2024. In addition, Thailand reaffirmed its support to the establishment of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) that strengthened linkages between trade and the issue of sustainability, while recommending APEC member economies to work more closely on digital connectivity, AI Governance as well as prepare for the aging society which has implications to economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region.