Foreign Minister Ampuero announces that Puerto Varas will host APEC Chile 2019 meetings

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Roberto Ampuero, announced that the Los Lagos Region will also host APEC meetings, in addition to the regions of Antofagasta, Valparaiso and Biobío.

For Minister Ampuero, the APEC Year "is a unique opportunity to show the cultural, social and geographical richness of our country to the economies that make up the forum and to the world in general. It is a showcase that should be used by Chile as a whole, not just by Santiago, that is why we have decided that Puerto Varas will host the third APEC High Representative Meeting (SOM3) in 2019".

Starting on August 17, 2019, the meetings of working groups, workshops and seminars will be held in Puerto Varas, ending on August 29 and 30 with the third APEC High Representative Meeting (SOM3). Parallel to this same city, the Food Safety Week will be held.

This August meeting will be the next-to-last of the Senior Representatives before the Leaders' Week to be held in November in Santiago, so it is expected that there will be substantive progress on the priorities and deliverables that Chile will have during its year as Chair of the Forum.

The Chancellor added that "as a host economy we have the possibility of surveying issues of great impact for the development of the Asia-Pacific region". Chile has defined three priorities: Services and the Digital Economy, which will address the development of good regulatory practices, capacity building for an inclusive digital economy, improving statistical measurements in services and levels of consumer confidence in the use of digital tools, telework, and reaching new markets through the use of new technologies; Regional Connectivity, which aims to generate more fluid, dynamic and inclusive trade, promoting the development of a broad connectivity in all its dimensions, to respond to new market needs, and to promote a better insertion of SMEs in global value chains; and Women and economic growth, which seeks to increase the participation of women in the economy and in international trade as a source of economic growth and reducing gender gaps.

"Being the host of a year of Apec gives us a showcase for Chile as a whole - and not just Santiago - to showcase itself to the world," said the Secretary of State, adding that "the responsibility for taking advantage of this showcase is not just the government's, it is also the responsibility of big business, SMEs, and citizens as a whole. It depends on everyone. Thus, Puerto Varas will be able to show not only its magnificent natural scenery and the high level of its hotel and tourist services. Also, the warmth, hospitality and drive of its people".

Within this framework, the Minister for Foreign Affairs met this afternoon with the Mayor of the Lakes Region, Harry Jürgensen.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum is the leading intergovernmental body for facilitating economic growth, technical and economic cooperation, trade and investment facilitation and liberalization in the Asia-Pacific region. Created in 1989, it is made up of 21 economies, joined by Chile in 1994. Our country hosted this Forum in 2004 and will host it again in 2019. The year 2019 also coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Forum and the 25th anniversary of Chile's accession.

APEC accounts for 60% of world GDP and about 40% of global population, and in 2017, the APEC region grew by 4.1%, up from 3.4% in 2016.

58% of investments in Chile come from the APEC region and about 70% of Chile's exports go to APEC. In the Los Lagos Region this percentage is even higher, reaching 77% of exports, only surpassed by Los Ríos (87%) and Antofagasta (79%).