Lima - The leaders of the 21 economies that make up the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum ended their annual meeting Sunday in Peru with a message of "confidence and faith" at a time of global economic crisis. Dressed in typically-Andean brown ponchos and standing in front of a giant photograph of the ancient ruins of the Machu Picchu Inca citadel, APEC leaders looked ahead and sought to inspire hope at a time of financial turmoil.
"This crisis will be temporary," said Peruvian President Alan Garcia. "We are going to beat the crisis with the help of the peoples and with the help of the businesses."
Garcia called for the world to avoid lapsing "into panic, or into depression, or into uncertainty," and sought some perspective as he noted that "humanity has extraordinary financial resources that it had never had before."
The summit issued a seven-page final declaration, under the headline A New Commitment to Asia-Pacific Development, to complement the statement on the global economic crisis that they had issued Saturday.
The Lima Declaration showed a clear concern about the impact of current conditions - from the economic crisis and rising food prices to climate change - on the region's poor.
"We are committed to strengthening the social dimension of globalization," the final declaration said.
As APEC leaders sought ways to overcome the current crisis, they also stressed the need to promote Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
"Globalization based on economic, social and environmental progress can bring sustainable benefits to all APEC economies, their business sectors and their people. CSR can reinforce the positive effects that trade and investment have on growth, competitiveness and sustainable development."
The final declaration further made reference to the rise in the price of foodstuffs.
"We are deeply concerned about the impact that volatile global food prices, combined with food shortages in some developing economies, are having on our achievements in reducing poverty and lifting real incomes over the last decade."
As a tool to combat such price volatility, APEC leaders called for a "prompt, ambitious and balanced conclusion" of the Doha Round of talks at the World Trade Organization (WTO), which would "deliver substantial improvements in market access and reduce market- distorting measures in global agricultural trade."
Climate change was also incorporated in a social dimension.
"Reducing poverty is likely to become more difficult in those developing economies most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change and related natural disasters," the document said.
Next year's summit will mark the 20th anniversary of APEC's creation, and is set to be held in Singapore.
