The public in the Asia-Pacific region and other parts of the world highly valued the results of the meeting and other important events held during the APEC Week, considering them the prerequisites for APEC to develop stronger, more dynamically and efficiently.

In the spirit of openness, friendliness and mutual understanding, leaders of the 21 APEC member economies had discussions and dialogues on the APEC process. Particularly, during the two-day meeting, they spent much time discussing the two main topics: (1) Promoting trade and investment in a changing world, and, (2) Fundamentals ensuring dynamism, growth and sustainable development in APEC.

For the first topic, they focused their discussions on the Doha Round of negotiations, regional trade agreements and free trade agreements (RTAs/FTAs), the Hanoi Action Plan to implement the Busan Roadmap, and measures to achieve the Bogor Goals.

For the second topic, they touched upon issues relating to human security, technical and economic cooperation and APEC reform.

In this spirit, APEC leaders reached a high consensus on measures to achieve the Bogor Goals on trade and investment liberalisation, take urgent action to resume the Doha round, and carry out the APEC reform package to make APEC’s economic, trade and investment activities more efficient and dynamic for sustainable development and prosperity. The results from the meeting were reflected in the three important documents adopted by APEC leaders, namely the Hanoi Declaration, the Hanoi Action Plan to implement the Busan Roadmap towards the Bogor Goals, and the APEC Reform Package.

In the Hanoi Declaration released at the closing session on November 19, APEC leaders affirmed their resolve to break the current impasse in the Doha round, promote trade and investment liberalisation, and to remove any hurdles against sustainable development. The declaration also affirmed APEC member economies’ determination to accelerate regional and global economic integration.

APEC leaders described Vietnam’s two initiatives - the Hanoi Action Plan and the APEC Reform Package - as being very important to the APEC process. They said the two initiatives will make APEC activities more dynamic and efficient and adaptable to new circumstances in the region and the world. They considered the two initiatives to be specific action plans which will have a positive and decisive impact on the new APEC process for the 2010-2020 period. These are two important documents highlighting the APEC Year 2006.

The Hanoi Declaration and other documents adopted at the meeting were of great significance in driving the APEC process forward. These results, together with the successful hosting of other important events during the APEC Year 2006, particularly the APEC Week, manifested the ambition of APEC member economies to build a region of dynamic and sustainable development and prosperity.

As the host of APEC 2006, Vietnam put in a lot of preparatory work to ensure the successful organisation of AELM 14 and related meetings. The successful outcome of AELM 14 and the APEC Week highlighted Vietnam’s image and role in the grouping. “Excellent” and “Perfect” were commonly used by APEC leaders when talking about the country’s organisational skills. This meant that alongside national development, the country has made great strides in international integration.

The State and people of Vietnam are friendly and honest with their friends, partners, investors and businesses. There is no denying that Vietnam has been and will be one of the safest and most reliable destinations for regional and international events.

The successful outcome of AELM 14 and the APEC Week in Hanoi clearly showed the strong determination of all APEC member economies to bring their cooperation to a new level and to make it more efficient and dynamic for peace, stability, and sustainable development and prosperity in the whole region.