A Declaration on Open Regionalism in the Pacific

Abstract

As the focus for its Ninth General Meeting—the first ever in the U.S.—the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) chose Open Regionalism: A Pacific Model for Global Economic Cooperation. In support of this theme, representatives of the twenty Pacific economies that make up the Council prepared and signed an unusual declaration. It sets forth, for the first time anywhere, the conditions essential for an open region and commits the Council to work in support of these conditions. PECC also issued an accompanying statement that presents the rationale for its San Franciso Declaration. Together, the Declaration and Statement bring the unofficial PECC to a new stage in its historic mission of shaping an open Pacific region. Now its challenge will be to give effect to the Declaration. Several important projects are being considered. For maximum effect, this work will require the cooperation of the new official government organization, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).