Day 10 of the APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting and related events addressed topics such as the transition from the informal to the formal economy, the role of women and girls in the economic development of the Asia-Pacific region, and disaster management.

PPD Public-Private Dialogue on Best Practices for the Transition of Economic Actors from Informal to Formal Economy

The APEC Public-Private Dialogue on Best Practices for the Transition of Economic Actors from the Informal to Formal Economy, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ComexPeru, aimed to foster a comprehensive understanding of the informal economy within the APEC region and to explore strategies for its transition to the formal sector, with the participation of the public and private sectors and other stakeholders.

The event featured presentations by experts from international organizations who, in the first session, provided an overview of the informal economy, its causes, trends and implications for economic growth and public policies.

In addition, representatives from APEC Member Economies presented best practice cases involving initiatives and programs to promote the transition from the informal to the formal economy, allowing panelists to discuss the challenges faced by their Economies and propose innovative policy approaches.

To conclude the first day of the event, a panel specifically addressed private sector initiatives to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing to promote the transition in reference.

PPWE Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy Plenary Meeting

On this first day of the PPWE plenary meeting, the member economies addressed the following issues related to global trends affecting the Asia-Pacific region, trade, emergency preparedness and prevention of gender-based violence. The Vice Minister of Women and Vulnerable Populations, Silvia Rosario Loli Espinoza, participated as co-chair of the meeting.

This initial day highlighted the importance of women and girls in the Asia Pacific region when it comes to economic empowerment, with the understanding that their inclusion is vital to harnessing the region’s economic potential and promoting female leadership at all levels of society.

A panel of national and international experts shared their views on gender equality and trade promotion, which are fundamental for the empowerment and inclusion of women in the economy, sustainable development and poverty reduction.

A Public Policy Dialogue on Preventing Gender Based Violence to Enhance Women’s Economic Equality was also held, highlighting the importance of eliminating one of the main barriers women face to participate fully in the economy and promote safe and equitable work environments.

Finally, presentations were made on the impact of natural disasters and environmental emergencies on women and girls, with the understanding that it is essential to improve disaster planning and response to reduce their vulnerability and improve the resilience of communities as a whole.

SDMOF Senior Disaster Management Officials´ Forum

The event, chaired by General Juan Carlos Urcariegui Reyes, Head of the INDECI (National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property, its acronym in Spanish), addressed in three sessions fundamental aspects of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery from emergencies and natural disasters. These sessions primarily focused on:

• The need of monitoring common natural phenomena, creating policies and strategies at both local and national level to prevent future risks like forest fires and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
• Building resilience through risk prevention and reduction practices, preparation with community early warning systems and empowerment of women in the community. The strengthening of administrative capacities, education, and community training was also emphasized.
• Public and private cooperation in order to improve response capacity, stressing the interoperability between information systems, including artificial intelligence (IA), which helps decision making be faster. Moreover, the group work of the local governments and universities is essential in terms of disaster management.

The next 2025 SDMOF will be held in South Korea.