REPUBLIKA.CO.ID,NUSA DUA -- APEC ministers agreed on Saturday to a multi-year infrastructure development and investment plan aimed at helping the economies of APEC members.

They also agreed to encourage public-private partnerships (PPP) and improve government capacity and coordination in preparing and realizing infrastructure projects, according to a joint statement issued at the APEC Ministerial Meeting here on Saturday.

Those participating said they believed that well-planned, sustainable physical infrastructure development will be helpful to improve connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region, resolve constraints to supply chains, improve productivity and create a positive and significant impact, including access to markets, creation of job opportunities and economic growth in all sectors.

Realizing that there has been imbalanced financing in the APEC region in the public sector, the ministers noted that the private sector played an important role in infrastructure development and investment. "We encourage any effort to strengthen partnerships among governments, private sector and international institutions to explore and increase infrastructure financing and investment. In this regard, we warmly welcome the formation of PPP," the joint statement said.

The joint statement was the final result of the APEC Ministerial Meeting co-chaired by Indonesia`s Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa and Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan.

The meeting was also attended by the director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), chief of APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), the secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), representatives of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and Melanesian Sprearhead Group (MSG). The joint statement would be brought before the APEC leaders summit on October 7 and 8 for approval.

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