Abstract

This article focuses on the potential for Human Resources Development (HRD) of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to make significant contributions to the economic and political development in the Asia-Pacific region. The article searches for countermeasures, which may be provided by the activities of the HRD programs and projects. Three major issues which are sources of conflicts faced by APEC are noted and analyzed: the issues of diversity of member economies and power imbalance; the issue of agreement for the proposed 2010/2920 liberalization of the market by APEC countries; and the issues related to security. More than any other unit of APEC, the HRD unit with its various projects, programs and Task Force activities has great potential to provide some countermeasures for alleviating the conflicts faced by APEC. Especially, HRD's Network for Education Forum (EdFor) with various projects such as AELI, EduNet, Youth Vocational Training may be able to generate mutual understanding through effective communication of information and exchange of ideas and skills for social and economic development. The task force for fiscal crisis along with the various HRD's networks on industrial and economic development (BMN, HURDIT, LMI, NEDM) has great potential to make significant contribution to alleviate the current economic crisis in Asia.