June 3, 2003 (2:35 p.m. EDT) No. 77

CANADA WELCOMES REPORT ON APEC'S WTO CAPACITY BUILDING AND APEC ACTION PLAN ON SARS

International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew today welcomed the release of a report entitled APEC's WTO Capacity Building Activities at the APEC Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade in Khon Kaen, Thailand.

"Canada strongly believes in the importance of capacity building for developing economies," said Minister Pettigrew. "We are one of the most active donors of World Trade Organization (WTO) capacity-building assistance in the APEC region, with over $50 million of assistance provided since 1996."

This year's APEC trade ministers' meeting was one of the last major scheduled meetings of trade ministers before the WTO Ministerial Conference, to be held in Cancún, Mexico, this September. The June meeting was therefore an opportunity to promote progress on capacity building for developing economies, to lay out Canada's positions and objectives for Cancún and to work toward consensus positions among APEC members. At the meeting, APEC ministers agreed on the urgency and importance of moving the Doha Development Agenda forward.

"The report shows APEC's progress in meeting the challenge of the Doha Development Agenda," added the Minister. "Capacity building will be a key tool for bringing the new round of WTO negotiations to a successful conclusion, and it will help make developing economies full participants in the process."

Today's APEC Meeting of Ministers also endorsed an APEC Action Plan on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), proposed by Canada and Thailand. The Plan involves:

• better sharing of information on and best practices in individual economies' responses to SARS, including via the APEC Web site;

• studying the economic impact of SARS and recommending actions to mitigate its effects and restore business confidence in the region; and

• promoting a common set of guiding principles for health screening procedures for travellers.

"The economic consequences of SARS have been significant for the entire Asia-Pacific region, including Canada," noted Minister Pettigrew. "As the region's premier economic cooperation organization, APEC has a vital role to play in minimizing the impact by encouraging transparency among its members and with the travelling public."

Murray Calder, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade, attended the APEC meeting on behalf of Minister Pettigrew.

For more information on APEC WTO Capacity Building projects, visit: http://www.apec-trta.org

APEC's WTO Capacity Building Activities will be available at: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/canada-apec

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Sébastien Théberge

Director of Communications

Office of the Minister for International Trade

(613) 992-7332

sebastien.theberge@dfait-maeci.gc.ca

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca