The APEC Finance and Central Bank Deputies’ Meeting (FCBDM) kicked off in Nha Trang city, south central coastal Khanh Hoa province, on February 23.

As part of the first APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM-1), the event drew 150 delegates from the 21 APEC member economies and international organisations, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC).

In his opening speech, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Xuan Ha said under the theme “Creating New Dynamism, Fostering a Shared Future”, APEC Year 2017’s priorities will focus on such issues as promoting sustainable, innovative and inclusive growth; boosting regional economic connectivity, enhancing competitiveness and innovation of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, increasing food security and sustainable agriculture in response to climate change. 

He added that the meeting will discuss regional and global economic prospects and identify common opportunities and challenges to seek practical and effective measures to mitigate risks and pursue sustainable development.

Following consultations, Ha said, the APEC member economies suggested deliberating long-term investment in infrastructure, finance and natural disaster risk insurance, base erosion and profit shifting, and financial inclusion, to report to the Finance Ministers’ Meeting in October this year.

The FCBDM is scheduled to last until February 24.

VNA