27-28 February 2017, Kobe — The Task Force for the Future Development of APN met in Kobe, Japan in a second meeting to discuss and finalise its findings and recommendations to enhance APN’s effectiveness in addressing member countries’ policy and capacity needs.

The Task Force was established at the 21st IGM/SPG Meeting in April 2016 in Zhengzhou, China with a mandate to closely examine the effectiveness and efficiency of APN’s current approach in achieving its goals. It is further charged to discuss APN’s way forward by presenting proposals of possible options for APN’s future strategy.

The Task Force reviewed and considered the draft report of its first meeting held in August 2016. Based on the findings of the report, a set of concrete recommendations were developed and discussed at the meeting.

A consolidated report containing the findings of the Task Force, along with its recommendations, will be presented to the 22nd Inter-Governmental Meeting in April 2017 for final approval.

Back-to-back with the second Task Force meeting, the 34th Steering Committee meeting was held to review APN’s financial status report, planned activities for the next fiscal year, and issues related to committee election, among other topics.