— provided more than US$500,000 to finance citizen initiatives.
"A total of 125 activities have held in five regions, and more than half a million dollars have been awarded in prizes donated by companies; it is an APEC in all areas —politically, diplomatically, and in business— but it also has the Peruvian element, which is an 'APEC for the People,'" he indicated.
In remarks to Andina News Agency, Schialer said that once the APEC 2024 meetings are concluded, 'APEC for the People' will continue to develop initiatives financed by the bloc for a group of female entrepreneurs from the Amazonia who have received seed capital to boost their projects.
"This will bear fruit in micro and small enterprises, in small ventures. The APEC Secretariat will monitor this, so that the results of the actions towards citizenry, meaning the people, can be clearly observed," he stated.
Similarly, he expressed confidence that South Korea, which will assume the APEC 2025 presidency, will take it into account with great enthusiasm.
"That is what we were aiming for (institutionalizing 'APEC for the People'); we wondered how the initiative would be received, and it has been received splendidly well; it is one of the ways to build APEC for the future," he noted.
The diplomat indicated that the
contributions gathered during the interactions within 'APEC for the People' were essential for the political and diplomatic work across all levels, such as microfinance, informality, women mining, among others.
The Foreign Affairs minister also said that more than 5,000 delegates and nearly 1,200 journalists are expected to arrive in Peru for the APEC Economic Leaders' Week set to take place from November 9 to 16, 2024.