The meeting will be held in virtual format from November 11-12.

APEC brings 21 economies together to tackle challenges, and help each other prosper.

The impact of COVID-19 on the region’s people and economy, coupled with hosting an entirely virtual year, makes APEC 2021 an ambitious exercise in digital diplomacy, said Prime Minister Ardern.

This year, APEC region's response to COVID-19 and the opportunity to build a more resilient future are top of the agenda.

APEC has already joined together in a commitment to speed up the cross-border flow of COVID-19 vaccines, rejuvenate the World Trade Organization and world first action on services to support the movement of essential goods.

The progress on APEC’s agenda and high participation at our virtual APEC 2021 shows how our collective determination can overcome the challenges of the pandemic./.