New Executive Director for APEC Secretariat in 2006 Highlights Focus for APEC Viet Nam Year

Singapore, December 28, 2005, Ambassador Tran Trong Toan from Viet Nam will become the 14th Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat on January 1, 2006. The appointment of the new Executive Director will coincide with the change of APEC host economy from Korea to Viet Nam.

Ambassador Toan said that striving under the theme of “A Dynamic Community for Sustainable Development and Prosperity”, APEC 2006 in Viet Nam will make a significant contribution to enhancing development in the region.

“2006 will provide all Members of the APEC family with opportunities to strengthen their cooperation for sustainable development and secure a common prosperity for our people,” Ambassador Toan said on the eve of his promotion to the most senior position at the Secretariat.

"Ensuring the dynamism of APEC in economic development and effectively responding to new challenges will be particularly important for APEC in 2006.

"APEC is placing increased emphasis on enhancing regional trade and investment with the implementation of the Busan Roadmap to achieve the Bogor goals of free and open trade and investment. APEC is also working to ensure the successful conclusion of WTO Doha Development Agenda negotiations in 2006.

"In our efforts to attain sustainable development and common prosperity, a great importance has been attached to bridging the development gap among the member economies through strengthened economic and technical cooperation.

“The Korea APEC 2005 Year was particularly successful in advancing the APEC process towards our development goals. As the host of APEC in 2006, Viet Nam, in cooperation with all Members Economies, will do her utmost to lead this process to further success.”

An experienced diplomat, Ambassador Toan has served in the Viet Nam Foreign Service for thirty years in senior positions in Ha Noi, New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur.

Ambassador Toan will succeed Ambassador Choi Seok Young from Korea whose tenure at the APEC Secretariat will expire on the 31 December 2005.

Ambassador Colin Heseltine from Australia will be the next Deputy Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat from January 1, 2006 and will serve as the Executive Director when Australia assumes host responsibilities for the APEC process in 2007.

Key dates for the 2006 APEC Year include the Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade in Ho Chi Minh City on June 1-2, the APEC Finance Ministers Meeting in Ha Noi on September 7-8 and the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in Ha Noi on November 18-19.

Additional information on Ambassador Toan is available here.

News Photographs can be downloaded: www.apec.org/apec/news___media/news_photos/271205_sin_ambtoantt.html

Contact Information

Christopher Hawkins

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

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