APEC STAR Conference Delivers Stronger Public-Private Sector Partnership
APEC has succeeded in bringing together key players from a broad range of official agencies and leading companies for the first time into a cooperative partnership to enhance trade and security in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Secure Trade in the APEC Region (STAR) Conference concluded in Bangkok today after two days of focusing on issues such as port security, maritime security, aviation security and other areas related to improving secure trade.
The Conference was attended by 337 delegates, over a hundred more than originally expected, from all 21 member economies as well as senior representatives from major private sector corporations and international organizations such as the IMO, WCO and the World Bank.
Co-hosted by the United States and Thailand, the conference highlighted a range of programs intended to look at the secure the movement of goods and people in the APEC region. These included:
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Trials of passenger screening using facial recognition technology
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Enhanced security features of aircraft
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Testing of procedures to respond to emergency situations at major airports and capacity building for ICAO security audits
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Advanced electronics and IT systems that can provide solutions to tracking, monitoring and identifying potential threats and protecting APEC communities
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IT systems being used in some ports to seamlessly pass electronic information on cargoes between service providers such as pilots, tugs, freight forwarders, truckers, shippers, warehouse operators and government agencies
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Mechanisms to share solutions between APEC economies.
One of the major points of agreement among presenters and delegates was that STAR requires new partnerships between government and business.
Co-ordination between public and private entities at the national and international level is necessary to counteract terrorist or criminal threats throughout the supply chain.
Most importantly, law enforcement and trade facilitation complement one another, as measures to increase security have the added benefit of increasing efficiency.
Capacity building, in particular the need to strengthen the institutional capacity of governments, was cited as being important to the success of the program. To achieve this end the Vice Chairman of the US Export-Import Bank said that financing would be available for developing economies with transportation security projects.
APEC is taking steps to ensure that the needs of developing economies to implement STAR are met with targeted technical cooperation assistance.
It is anticipated that the recently established APEC Counter Terrorism Task Force will help to ensure that activities are coordinated with of bilateral and international organizations such as the IMO, WCO and World Bank.
A research paper, prepared by Australia, was also circulated that highlights the serious economic consequences of not acting to prevent terrorism.
'The Costs of Terrorism and the Benefits of Cooperating to Combat Terrorism' study provides several examples of cost estimates of specific terrorist attacks.
In summary, the conference agreed that APEC's goal is both to facilitate trade and to strengthen security for member economies.
Investment in security is anticipated to result in significant economic returns, not only by reducing the economic costs of terrorism but by facilitating the movement of goods and people.