Hanoi (VNA) – A workshop entitled “Preparing for APEC Year 2027: Strengthening Capacity for Effective Organisation and Coordination” was held in Hanoi on October 1 to support comprehensive preparations for Vietnam’s hosting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Year 2027.
On the occasion, Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu, who is also head of the APEC 2027 National Secretariat, spoke to the press about the preparation work.
Reporter: Could you please clarify the key objectives Vietnam is pursuing as host of APEC Year 2027, and how important is coordination in achieving these goals?
Deputy FM Nguyen Minh Vu: Hosting APEC 2027 is a major multilateral diplomatic event for Vietnam. Among the major objectives, two are particularly important.
First, by hosting APEC 2027, Vietnam will contribute to advancing the forum’s core agenda of facilitating trade and investment, promoting sustainable growth and enhancing productivity to create business opportunities and jobs for people across the Asia-Pacific region.
Second, hosting APEC 2027 will provide an opportunity for Vietnam to demonstrate its role and responsibility in regional and global issues. In particular, it will also help promote the image of the country and its people, while giving localities hosting APEC events an opportunity to showcase their culture, people and destinations.
Therefore, coordination is crucial to achieving these two objectives. The “Preparing for APEC Year 2027: Strengthening Capacity for Effective Organisation and Coordination” workshop held on October 1 is part of efforts to strengthen coordination and connectivity between Vietnam, APEC members and the APEC Secretariat in pursuit of these goals.
Coordination is also crucial, reflected at three levels. The first is coordination at the central level. We have the APEC 2027 National Committee, chaired by Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc and comprising representatives from ministries and sectors, plays a central role. Close coordination between the National Committee and the APEC 2027 National Secretariat, together with its five subcommittees responsible for security, logistics and facilities, culture and communications, content, and protocol, is essential.
The second level is coordination among central agencies and localities in organising APEC events.
The third is coordination between Vietnam, as host of APEC 2027, the APEC Secretariat and APEC member economies.
These three levels of coordination will ensure smooth and effective implementation, enabling the APEC agenda to be delivered and the two major objectives set for APEC Year 2027 to be achieved.
Reporter: How has Vietnam prepared its organisational structure and developed human resources to meet the expectations of APEC member economies while enhancing the capacity of its officials working in external relations?
Deputy FM Nguyen Minh Vu: Given the importance of APEC 2027 as a major diplomatic task, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the direction of the Government and senior leaders, has established a relatively clear and well-structured organisational framework, with responsibilities clearly assigned.
We have the APEC 2027 National Committee, the National Secretariat and five subcommittees. Human resources are crucial to operating this structure effectively.
We have mobilised officials with experience in multilateral diplomacy and organising previous APEC events, particularly those who played key roles in hosting events during APEC Year 2017, to join the subcommittees of the APEC 2027 National Committee. These officials will play an important role in coordinating APEC-related work.
However, it can be seen that each hosting year differs in scale, expectations and regional circumstances, making training, capacity building and regular updates particularly important.
We have received close coordination from the APEC Secretariat and APEC members. They have high expectations that Vietnam will once again demonstrate a leadership role. They regard Vietnam as an influential APEC member and one of the few economies to have hosted APEC Year three times.
They have also expressed confidence that, with such preparations, determination and close cooperation and coordination from APEC members, Vietnam will ensure a successful APEC Year.
The participation of our officials in organising APEC is not only aimed at ensuring the success of APEC Year 2027. It is also a valuable opportunity for us to further enhance the capacity and professional expertise of Vietnam’s officials working on international integration as the country enters a new development phase.
Reporter: Thank you for your sharing!
