(SeaPRwire) – APO directors and delegates alongside Guest of Honor H.E. Piyush Goyal (seated 8th from the right), India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, at the 68th APO Governing Body Session in New Delhi, India.
NEW DELHI, May 26, 2026 — The Asian Productivity Organization (APO) held its 68th Governing Body Meeting (GBM) from May 20 to 22, 2026 in New Delhi, hosted by the Government of India. Taking place during the APO’s 65th anniversary year, this session marked a key historical milestone for advancing the APO Vision 2030 and the Strategic Partnership Program (SPP), the organization’s new member-led, results-focused implementation framework.
A total of 63 delegates from 19 APO member economies attended the 68th GBM. Eight observers from Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, the Global Green Growth Institute, the International Labour Organization, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization also joined the gathering, reflecting the APO’s growing engagement with non-member nations and international organizations.
The meeting saw the transfer of the APO Chairmanship from India to Indonesia, with Professor Anwar Sanusi, Acting APO Director for Indonesia, assuming the role of APO Chair for the 2026–27 term. The Islamic Republic of Iran and Japan took on the First and Second Vice Chair positions respectively. Dr. Mostafa Goharifar, Acting APO Director for I.R. Iran, and Fumio Yamazaki, Acting APO Director for Japan, fulfilled their respective vice chair duties on behalf of their APO directors.
The Inaugural Session was honored by the presence of Guest of Honor H.E. Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, who emphasized productivity as a strategic driver of resilience, innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth amid rapid global economic and technological shifts. He shared India’s experiences with productivity-led development, including reforms in manufacturing, logistics, digital public infrastructure, MSME support, and Green Productivity.
Amardeep Singh Bhatia, the outgoing 2025–26 APO Chair and APO Director for India, highlighted the operational transition of the APO Vision 2030 to the SPP framework, as well as the importance of institutional modernization, governance, and outcome-based regional cooperation. Neerja Sekhar, Director General of the National Productivity Council of India, stressed the role of productivity institutions in supporting transformation, resilience, digital technologies, Green Productivity, and measurable impact. Professor Anwar Sanusi, the incoming 2026–27 APO Chair, reaffirmed the APO’s shared commitment to strengthening productivity, innovation, sustainability, and regional cooperation across Asia and the Pacific.
The 68th GBM included in-depth discussions on core organizational governance topics including annual and financial reports, auditor appointments, recommendations from the APO Vision 2030 Steering Committee, the APO’s preliminary budget for the 2027–28 biennium, the Secretariat’s performance, management and compliance, the potential shift from IFRS to IPSAS, APO Secretary-General election procedures, non-member country participation, and the APO Awards Program. The session also featured a presentation on the APO’s new flagship Genuine AI Action (GAIA) initiative, which promotes AI and its applications to boost productivity improvement across member economies.
The 68th GBM concluded with a renewed commitment to implementing the APO Vision 2030 and strengthening the APO’s role as a trusted platform for productivity-led, inclusive, sustainable, and resilient development. Vilakone Philomlack, APO Alternate Director for Lao PDR, delivered the Vote of Thanks on behalf of all delegates, noting that the Lao PDR looked forward to welcoming attendees to the 69th GBM in 2027.
About the APO
The APO is a regional intergovernmental organization dedicated to advancing productivity in the Asia-Pacific region through mutual cooperation. Established in 1961, the APO supports its member economies via policy advisory services, capacity building, and knowledge sharing to foster sustainable socioeconomic development.
Contact: pr@apo-tokyo.org
Website: https://www.apo-tokyo.org
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