Philippines' Duterte calls for "closer international cooperation" at APEC leaders' meeting

Manila, November 13 (ANI/Xinhua): Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has called for "closer international cooperation" at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, to speed up global economic recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Closer international cooperation is needed to address these constraints and to ensure that all countries recover from this crisis," Duterte said at the virtual meeting.
APEC economies, the Philippine president said, need improved risk management systems, better response and mitigation measures, and more robust support mechanisms for vulnerable communities.
To achieve these goals, he called for the creation of an integrated vaccine passport validation and contact tracing system, institutionalizing social protection for non-traditional forms of employment, and promoting transnational education and digital inclusion in APEC economies.
Duterte reiterated calls for developed economies to support vulnerable countries like the Philippines in mitigating climate change.
"Developing economies such as the Philippines contribute the least to climate change, but we are the most vulnerable to its disastrous consequences," he added. (ANI/Xinhua)