Next Asia Pacific business forum will be held in Hong Kong: UN ESCAP

The ESCAP Business Advisory Council (EBAC) of the United Nations has decided to hold the Asia Pacific Business Forum 2018 in Hong Kong on April 10 next year.

The decision came at the 13th meeting of the council at UNESCAP office in Thailand, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Bangladesh said in a statement yesterday.

Mahbubur Rahman, chairman of EBAC and ICC Bangladesh, presided over the daylong meeting. 

The theme of the forum has been set at “Linking business with SDGs through technology and financing”, according to the statement.

“Considering the present global scenario, the private sector has to join hands with international bodies and governments to agree on a mechanism for business engagement,” Rahman said.

“In this aspect, EBAC and ESCAP together can make a difference for the region,” he said.

“Today's meeting is important as we are going to discuss a restructuring of the way ESCAP engages the business sector. It will set the direction of the role of business in partnering with ESCAP to achieve the SDGs."

The progress of the ongoing and new projects/initiatives of 10 ESBN Task Forces were presented during the meeting.

The task forces are: banking and finance, digital economy, green business, innovation and competitiveness, trade and transport facilitation, disaster and climate risk reduction, young entrepreneurship, agriculture and food and pacific issues.

Some 50 members representing various businesses from the Asia Pacific countries were present at the meeting.

ICC Bangladesh Vice President Rokia Afzal Rahman, Member Asif Ibrahim and Secretary General Ataur Rahman also attended the meeting.