David Toua

ABAC PNG Chair, David Toua, said this agenda will be pushed in the Leaders’ Summit in November.

This call was further pushed during the 3^rd ABAC Meeting in Kuala Lumpur recently.

Toua said during the 3^rd ABAC meeting, business leaders expressed concern about the current unstable global trade and economic environment. 

He said there is a general consensus that with the current environment, aided by protectionism, this would hinder prosperity for economies.

Under the core theme of “Harnessing Inclusive Opportunities, Embracing the Digital Future”, the APEC program, which kicked off in March, is focused on improving connectivity and digital inclusion to bridge the digital divide in the APEC community and boost social and economic growth.

In a recent interview with OBG, David Toua, chairman of the APEC Business Advisory Council, highlighted the ways PNG can leverage its membership in APEC to boost the role of technology.

He said as the host of the APEC 2018, the benefits in terms of policy agendas and goals that will be translated into concrete results will be huge.

Toua stated that Papua New Guineans should appreciate and embrace the 2018 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which will be hosted for the first time in Papua New Guinea as one of the member economy.

Chair of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), David Toua, said this recently in Tokyo, Japan, during the ABAC 2 Meeting.

Toua said the region was currently at the crossroads and urged ABAC members not to regress growth.

“One road takes us towards open markets, dynamic flows of goods, services, investment and people, and inclusive growth. The other takes us backwards towards protectionism, exclusion and regional economic slows

“We should not hold back progress in the Asia-Pacific,” said Toua.

APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Chairman, David Toua, said this is one of the agendas to come out of the recent ABAC Meeting in Auckland, New Zealand.

Toua spoke at the Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce Breakfast.

Toua said discussions in New Zealand were committed to addressing globalisation and ways to maintain government and business and community support for regional integration.

He said this collaboration will address economic inequalities, which is a result of globalisation.