Ten years of talk

The Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) forum started life in 1989 as an informal "dialogue group" of countries around the Pacific rim.

From 1993, when the new President Clinton decided to turn it into an annual summit of all leaders, Apec took on a new global standing.

Today it involves 21 nations, ranging from tiny Brunei and poor Vietnam to major powers like the United States, Japan, China and Russia.

Apec members account for about half the world's economy, half of all international trade and half the world's population.

The annual leaders' meeting has become a major summit on the international calendar.

Apec works in three broad areas:

• Advancing free and open trade and investment.

• Making it easier to do business, through improving trade rules and regulations and reducing red tape.

• Economic and technical cooperation.

Unlike most major international bodies, Apec has only a few employees, based in Singapore. Most of the work is done by officials from member economies. Priorities and goals are set at the annual leaders' meetings.

This year it is New Zealand's turn to chair Apec and host the summit - in Auckland, less than three weeks away.

Around 4000 delegates and some 3000 journalists and others are expected to descend on the City of Sails, making the leaders' meeting the largest and most important political gathering ever held in this country.

Apart from sports events, it is THE biggest event New Zealand has hosted.