As we begin a new year, I would like to express my appreciation to all APO Directors, NPO Heads and their teams, resource persons, participants, collaborators, and Secretariat staff who played a part in the APO’s programs in 2024. The involvement of each of you is what keeps the APO’s spirit of collaboration and improvement alive more than six decades after the APO’s establishment.

This past year was one in which important foundations were laid for the renewal and rejuvenation of the APO in 2025, which marks a new era for the Secretariat as the APO Vision 2025 draws to a close. As we figure out the way forward in 2025 and beyond, the APO will leverage insights gained from the pause-and-reflect activity and the third-party independent evaluation to enhance the value we provide to member economies through new and improved initiatives.

At the core of this effort lies the incorporation of monitoring and evaluation, transparency, and effective governance into every aspect of the APO from programs to operations. This will allow the efficient allocation of resources for programs with a proven track record to grow to their full potential.

It is my sincere and humble wish that the APO will continue to enjoy the dedicated support of our stakeholders in 2025 so that the APO can grow stronger and bring ever greater fruits of productivity to the Asia-Pacific region.

With that worthy goal in mind, I wish all of you a productive and prosperous New Year.