Apec meeting to be ‘event of year’

 By LUKE KAMA

CHIEF Secretary Isaac Lupari says the 2018 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Papua New Guinea will be an event of the century.

Lupari yesterday launched the Committee on Safety and Security operational order which will look into the safety and security during the summit.

He said the Apec community was made up of 21 economies, some of which were very advanced.

“We are talking about the economies of countries like the United States, China, Russia, Japan, Singapore,” Lupari said.

 Papua New Guinea joined Apecin 1993 and has been a prominent member.

“Being a member places PNG in a very strategic position in terms of our collaboration and promoting economic agendas and cooperation with these economies,” Lupari  said.

Lupari said PNG was hosting the event for the first time and many commentators were describing it as the event of the century.  

“Because come 2018, the world will focus on PNG. The world leaders of these great nations will be coming to our shores,” he said. 

“It is an opportunity for PNG to showcase who we are, the diversity in our culture and what PNG is all about. I say this because most of the people around the world don’t know where PNG is.”

He said it would open up opportunities in terms of trade and relations because “leaders will come and know the potential this country has and what they can do”.