U.S. Embassy in Peru

MEDIA NOTE

OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON

MAY 13, 2024

U.S. Senior Official for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ambassador Matt Murray will travel to Arequipa, Peru from May 13 to 18 for the Second Senior Officials’ Meeting and Related Meetings (SOM2) of the APEC Peru 2024 host year.

While in Arequipa, Ambassador Murray will engage in a series of working group meetings, workshops, and stakeholder engagements.  He will collaborate with senior government officials, business leaders, and other stakeholders from across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss U.S. priorities for APEC and explore alignment with Peru’s objectives as host of APEC 2024.

The meetings will include two APEC ministerial meetings and a joint meeting between them: Acting Division Chief for Women’s Economic Security Sandrine Rukundo will serve as the U.S. Head of Delegation for the High-Level Policy Dialogue on Women and the Economy on May 16 and United States Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai will serve as the U.S. Head of Delegation to the Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting from May 17 to 18.  On May 16, Ambassador Tai will also participate in a “Women in Leadership” fireside chat alongside Julia Torreblanca, APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) 2024 Chair, at the University of Santa Maria.

A joint meeting of the High-Level Policy Dialogue on Women and the Economy and Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting – headed by Ambassador Tai and Ambassador Murray – will convene on May 17, spotlighting the intersection of women and trade as a means to drive greater sustainable and inclusive economic growth.  Ambassadors Tai and Murray will also visit the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Fair, held at the Bi-National Cultural Center from May 16 to 18.

The meetings in Arequipa will also include a Public-Private Dialogue on Women and the Economy – Creating Change: Women’s Economic Empowerment on May 15, in which Special Advisor on International Disabilities Rights (SAIDR) Sara Minkara will discuss financial inclusion to promote women’s economic empowerment.

For further information, please contact the U.S. APEC Team at DOSAPEC@state.gov.