Food security, human security and anti-corruption

The leaders expressed concerns about the impact that volatile global food prices, combined with food shortages in some developing economies, were having on APEC member economies' achievements in reducing poverty and lifting real incomes over the last decade. "We support a fully coordinated response and a comprehensive strategy to tackle this issue through the Comprehensive Framework for Action developed by the United Nations (UN) Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis," the declaration said.

Individual and collective policy responses to expand food and agricultural supply in the region should strengthen market forces to encourage new investment in agricultural technology and production systems, it said.

"We directed APEC to increase technical cooperation and capacity building that will help foster agricultural sector growth ... We directed APEC to help member economies develop science-cased regulatory frameworks to benefit from the potential of agricultural biotechnology," the declaration said.

On the region's anti-corruption combat, the leaders agreed to leverage their collective will to combat corruption and related transnational illicit networks by prompting clean government, supporting public-private partnerships, fostering market integrity, and transparent financial systems.

The leaders also pledged further efforts to enhance human security, combat terrorism and secure regional trade. "Terrorist acts can not be excused or justified by any alleged cause, conflict, oppression, or poverty," it said.

The leaders pledged full cooperation to ensure secure flow of people, goods and investments from disruption caused by terrorist acts. They urged continued efforts to help secure the region's economic, trade, investment and financial system from terrorist attack or abuse and trade-based money laundering.

Climate change

On climate change, the leaders called for comprehensive manner through international cooperation under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2009 to address the issue.

"We reaffirmed our commitment to the Sydney APEC Leaders' Declaration on Climate Change, Energy Security and Clean Development," they said, noting that reducing poverty was likely to become more difficult in those developing economies most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change and related natural disasters.

"We support decisive and effective long term cooperation now, up to and beyond 2012 to address climate change under the UNFCCC, in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities," they said.

The leaders also recognized the economic diversity and different domestic circumstances of individual APEC economies in addressing climate change.

They welcomed the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Network for sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation, and voiced their appreciation towards China's commitment to further financial support for this initiative.

Recognizing that climate change could impede economies' abilities to achieve sustainable economic growth and reduce poverty, the leaders said they strongly supported international cooperation and capacity building for mitigation and adaptation as objectives that should be equally pursued, including those that promote low-emissions technology development and transfer to, and financial support for, developing economies.

They also called for additional and coordinated efforts to better understand vulnerabilities caused by the impact of climate change on the oceans and the resources to help develop more effective adaptation strategies.

The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the energy needs of regional economies by promoting open energy markets and free energy trade and investment. "Such markets are crucial to the development of renewable sources of energy and the dissemination of low emission energy technologies, including new and alternative energy resources and technologies," they said.

The APEC leaders said they encouraged officials to promote such development and urged them to pursue regional energy efficiencies and maximize the potential development of clean energy technology.

They also recognized the economic diversity and different domestic circumstances of individual APEC economies in addressing climate change.

Nineteen leaders from the APEC member economies attended the summit, part of the Leaders' Week on Nov. 16-23.

Established in 1989, APEC groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, China's Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.

(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2008)