APEC 2022 Thailand kicked off the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in Bangkok, beginning with the Concluding Senior Officials’ Meeting (CSOM) on 15-16 November 2022. To make substantive preparations for the APEC Ministerial Meeting and the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting later in the week, APEC Senior Officials met to sum up important work and key achievements throughout Thailand’s host year. Through 4 clusters of Senior Officials and almost 40 working group meetings, as well as 8 sectoral ministerial meetings, all parts of APEC mechanism have worked together seamlessly to ensure that APEC 2022 delivers meaningful outcomes and benefit for our peoples, under the theme “Open. Connect. Balance.”.

The CSOM discussed 3 key priorities of APEC 2022. These include facilitating free and open trade and investment, reconnecting the region and promoting a balanced, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, based on the BCG Economy Model.

On opening to all trade and investment opportunities, APEC continued to make headway on the refreshed conversation on the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP)
in the post COVID-19 context. APEC experts have developed a multi-year work plan to establish a long-term framework for the FTAAP agenda. The aim is to build capacity for APEC economies to ensure that they are better prepared for future pandemic and narrow the development gap.

On reconnecting the region, APEC Senior Officials took stock of tangible achievements of the Safe Passage Taskforce and endorsed its recommendations on how APEC’s safe passage work should be carried forward after, especially to continue building the region’s resilience against future disruptions. In addition, the meeting endorsed the report on the implementation of the APEC Internet and Digital Economy Roadmap (AIDER) and APEC Economic Policy Report 2022 on Structural Reform and a Green Recovery from Economic Shocks, which will help to enhance digital and physical connectivity in the region.

On promoting a balanced, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, APEC Senior Officials noted  the final draft Bangkok Goals on BCG Economy, which will be submitted for Leaders’ endorsement on 19 November. The Bangkok Goals will serve as a roadmap to advance APEC’s sustainability and inclusion objectives in a more holistic and integrating manner.

As a key driving force of the APEC process, the Senior Officials wrapped up their year-long preparations to move on to the next stage where APEC Ministers and Economic Leaders will endorse key outcomes and shape the direction for our region going forward.