Tim McCready

APEC 2021: The Kiwi women moving the world forward at Apec 2021 (NZ Herald)

APEC 2021: The Kiwi women moving the world forward at Apec 2021 (NZ Herald)

Women’s economic empowerment has been a key pillar of Apec’s work, and since New Zealand last hosted Apec two decades ago, has made significant gains.

Economies across Apec have worked together to promote those with “untapped economic potential” — people who have faced barriers to full economic participation — to provide the energy and vision for future growth.

A key focus of this work has been addressing the structures that hold back women’s full economic participation. While there is still significant progress to be made, as this year’s host New Zealand is leading the way with three women — Andrea Smith, Barbara Chapman, and Rachel Taulelei — holding pivotal roles to deliver the year’s event.

Andrea Smith

One of the key diplomats leading New Zealand’s year as Apec host is Andrea Smith, Apec deputy secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

She has been in the role since 2017, and in that time has seen events that have put New Zealand’s hosting of Apec at risk — including the fire at the Sky City International Convention Centre fire where the CEO Summit was originally to be held, and the Covid-19 pandemic, which ground travel to a halt and forced Apec to go fully virtual.

Smith says that as host, New Zealand is at the leading edge of shaping the agenda for the Asia-Pacific and has “skin in the game”.

“Fourteen of our top 20 export markets are Apec members, including the three largest economies in the world — the United States, China and Japan — and 18 of our 19 free trade agreements are with Apec partners.” says Smith.