Opening statement for Whāriki Indigenous Small Business Roundtable

Kei ngā tōpito e wha o te āo e rere ana te mihi maioha ki a koutou nō tawhiti,

nō tata mai e tāpiri ana ki tēnei taumata kōrero mo te ao hokohoko arā mā ngā pākihi mo ngā iwi taketake
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa – Pai Mārire.
 
It’s my pleasure to join the welcoming statement to invited panellists and in particular Sheryl Sandberg and offer brief opening comments to support roundtable discussions today.

As hosts for APEC this year we are critically aware than an inclusive, sustainable economic recovery as we respond to a global pandemic, must include indigenous peoples.

We need to ensure that a resilient recovery is an inclusive one, after all APEC is half of the global economy. Our region is the most economically dynamic in the world, lifting approximately one billion people out of poverty.

Indigenous business and entrepreneurship has the capacity to be a significant game changer lifting the household incomes of whānau (families), communities and populations.

Digital access plays a key role and there a number of critical questions for the roundtable to discuss which underscore the unique point of difference that indigenous economic inclusion can offer and leverage from – I look forward to the discussion.

At this year’s APEC, Aotearoa New Zealand are seeding aspiration from indigenous peoples and indigenous economies. We have led workshops and policy dialogues on indigenous economic development. Themes include:

• the economic impact on indigenous communities;
• indigenous and diverse women-led SME responses;
• e-commerce opportunities for indigenous and ethnic minorities; and
• indigenous knowledge in science systems.

Indigenous collaboration can make a profound contribution to economies, peoples, the values and leadership that shape a sustainable region.

I look forward to hearing news of the roundtable discuss today.

Nō reira ka tukuna atu te whakaaro ki a Rangi me Papa ōtīrā tātou e hui tahi nei, tēnā koutou katoa.

END