2026 ABAC Work Program Focus and Priorities
The business community in the Asia-Pacific has started its 2026 work program under the integrated theme “Openness, Connectivity, Synergy.” This theme underscores a shared determination to support open markets, facilitate deeper regional integration, and champion collaborative innovation as essential to sustainable growth. The program launch marks the first of four planned ABAC gatherings this year, setting strategic direction and business-driven solutions to increase resilience and long-term prosperity.
Under Openness, work aims to uphold liberalized trade and investment frameworks that strengthen economic architecture, with continued efforts toward the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP). There is emphasis on boosting equal access to economic opportunities through voluntary frameworks addressing equal pay and reducing non-tariff barriers. Digital tools will be encouraged to expand trade, especially in green and services sectors, building on existing e-commerce commitments and facilitating digitally delivered services trade.
With regards to Connectivity, efforts concentrate on enhancing integration and resilience of supply chains and infrastructure, improving regulatory coordination, and enabling smoother flows of goods, services, technology, information and talent throughout the region. Strengthened physical and institutional connectors are seen as vital to expanding economic participation across economies.
The Synergy priority places innovation at the core of sustainable growth, recognizing rapid technological change as both opportunity and challenge. Practical cooperation across sectors aims to accelerate adoption of technologies such as artificial intelligence, navigate digital currency developments, and assess quantum readiness. Promoting low-carbon, inclusive, resilient growth features as a key objective, with targeted actions in food security, healthcare workforce resilience, responsible mining support for energy transitions, and other areas that reinforce inclusive development.
Alignment with Policy and Cooperation Structures
ABAC is actively aligning its recommendations with APEC senior officials to ensure coherence between business priorities and broader policy programs. This coordination seeks to maximize the impact of collective efforts across economies by strengthening policy frameworks and business agendas.
Dialogue between business leaders and policymakers highlights the priority of ensuring business insights inform APEC’s wider agenda, thereby supporting practical solutions that advance regional trade, innovation, and sustainable development.
Source:
APEC Business Advisory Council. (2026, 10 de febrero). ABAC launches 2026 work program under theme “Openness, Connectivity, Synergy”. APEC. https://www.apec.org/press/news-releases/2026/0210_abac1