IMF Informal Dialogue on the State of the Regional Global Economy 11/18/2018

APEC Haus, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
November 18, 2018

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and his fellow Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders convened for an Informal Dialogue on the State of the Regional and Global Economy with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde at the APEC Haus in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

“We are grateful for your visit. It has certainly given our people of Papua New Guinea a lot of hope, hope in the sense that they are part of the global community and particularly Asia-Pacific region,” APEC Chair and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said in his opening remarks.

Being accountable to its 189 member governments and countries, the IMF is an organization that seeks to foster financial stability and global monetary cooperation around the world.

Meanwhile, in a press briefing, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said that the digitalization of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) was the main exchanges in the two-day dialogue amongst the 21 Economic Leaders.

“The messages of President were very clear in terms of making sure that again ‘yung globalization should not really affect the small countries, and at the same time the smaller players in small countries.. And the discussion this morning evolved around again the same thing embracing digitalization, protecting micro-SMES, making them part of the global value chain,” Secretary Lopez said.

Secretary Lopez also added that according to the President, having a win-win arrangement and respect for sovereignty is the key to globalization.

“Our President has mentioned time and again that we are friend to everyone and enemy to no one. So iyon po ang kanyang big messages in his interventions,” he stressed.

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