Hanoi (VNA) – Singapore will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings during 2009, the 20th anniversary of the group and against the backdrop of a sombre economic outlook.

The event was set to kick off on Feb. 13, with the first round of senior officials' meetings to be held at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel in Havelock Road, the Straits Times reported on Feb. 12.

Around 1,000 senior officials and delegates from 21 member economies are expected to attend the meetings, which will wrap up on Feb. 26.

The second round of senior officials' meetings will take place at the Shangri-La Hotel from July 15-19. This will be followed by two ministerial meetings, in July and October, at the same venue.
Each of these meetings is expected to bring approximately 500 foreign delegates to Singapore, said APEC.

The APEC meetings will culminate in the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, which is to be held in Singapore for the first time on Nov 14-15.