SPEECH AT THE CLOSING SESSION OF WLN 2006

Ladies and gentlemen,

It seems to women that time passes so fast!

Our Meeting appears to just start, but nearly finish.

As the chair of WLN APEC 2006, I am very happy to inform you that in the last three working days, our Meeting has gathered the wisdom, active participation and responsibility of more than 350 delegates from 18 APEC economies. We have listened to more than 50 speeches and many ideas of delegates in 3 plenary sessions and 4 theme workshops as well as 3 incooperated conferences. We have come to the concensus o­n the recommendations of the Meeting. I am very delighted to see that all of us, especially of the Drafting committee which includes representatives of all delegations, have worked so hard both day and night o­n the recommendations of 11 consise and clear articles reflecting opinion, vision and proposal of WLN when coming to the 11^th year. This recommendation will be submitted to the leaders, ministers in order to promote the integration of women into APEC fora and gender mainstreaming into APEC programs/projects as well as into every economy for sustainable development and prosperity in the Asia – Pacific Region.

The participation and speech of Prime Minister of Vietnam at the opening session appreciating the role of women in general and women entrepreneurs in particular in the development of national and regional economy together with the reception of Vietnam President Nguyen Minh Triet yesterday late afternoon at the President Palace have brought great inspiration to our delegates. It’s the commitment of the chairman of 2006 APEC Leaders’ Meeting that he will not o­nly read our recommendation but also express his support to it at the APEC Leaders’ Meeting.

I would like to read through the Declaration and Recommendation of the 11^th WLN meeting.

(Madame Khiet read the whole recommendation of 3 pages)

(After applauds of approval, she continued)

Now it would be my great honour to hand over the Declaration & Recommendation – collective intellectual outcome of the 11^th APEC WLN 2006 in Hanoi, Vietnam to Mr. Vo Hong Phuc, Minister of Planning and Investment who will chair the Ministerial Meeting o­n SME o­n 28 & 29 September in Hanoi.

Mr. Vo Hong Phuc went to the stage. Mme Khiet handed over the Recommendation to him, then left the stage.

Mr. Phuc held the Recommendation and made some remarks of congratulation to the success of the WLN Meeting and commitment to incorporate the Recommendations to the SME ministerial meeting agenda. Then he left the stage, back to his seat.

MC introduced the documentary film about 11^th WLN meeting.

When the film ended, MC invited Mme. Khiet and the two Australian to the Stage.

Mme. Khiet flew the flag and handed it over to the Head of Australian delegation.

The Head of Australian delegation flew the flag and handed it over to the representative of the 2007 APEC WLN meeting organizers of Australia.

The representative of the 2007 APEC WLN meeting organizers took the flag, read the message of Australian Minister of Women Affairs.

Mme. Khiet shook hands of the 2 ladies, then invited them to come back to their seats. Mme. Khiet continued

Ladies and Gentlemen,

By handing over the WLN flag to Australian sisters and sisters from other APEC economies from now o­n, I believe that WLN will develop well in the next 10 years.

Once again, as the chair of WLN APEC 2006 and o­n behalf of VWU, I sincerely thank the State, Government of Vietnam who cared for and provided support to our Meeting to be a successful o­ne that marks a new step of WLN’s development. I sincerely thank all distinguished delegates for your kind cooperation for the success of the meeting.

I wish you all good health, happiness and success. See you soon./.