Opening of Press Credentialing for APEC

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Senior Officials’ and Ministerial Meetings (SOM 3) – Seattle, WA– Media Logistics Advisory #1 and Open of Press Credentialing

Media Credential Application
Deadline: July 22 at 5:30 PM Eastern Time (ET)

Background: From July 29 to August 21, more than 2,000 delegates of the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies — accounting for nearly 40 percent of the global population, or nearly 3 billion people, and nearly 50 percent of global trade – will convene in Seattle, Washington for the third APEC Senior Officials’ and Ministerial Meetings (SOM 3) prior to the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week (AELW) this fall. APEC is the premier platform for the United States to advance economic policies in the Asia-Pacific region to promote free, fair, and open trade and investment and advance inclusive and sustainable growth. Businesses from APEC economies have invested over $1.7 trillion in the United States, employing 2.3 million American workers.

Spanning nearly three weeks, SOM 3 and related meetings will advance a broad array of economic priorities within the Asia-Pacific region (including on disaster management, food security, health, energy, and small and medium-sized enterprises, in addition to a wide variety of Digital Month initiatives to achieve an interconnected and innovative digital economy. 

Multiple U.S. Cabinet officials – including Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm – will host their counterparts while in Seattle and showcase the vibrant city at the center of international commerce.

Greater Seattle had the distinct honor of hosting the very first APEC meeting in 1993. Since then, the region has deepened its connections as a critical gateway to the Asia-Pacific. The deepwater ports in Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett make up one of the largest international shipping gateways in North America. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is consistently ranked as a top international airport and one of the best in North America. This global connectivity has contributed to total trade with APEC member nations reaching just over $1 trillion from 2012 to 2022 alone. The average total trade per year during this time exceeded $90 billion and accounted for 76% of all Greater Seattle trade. Foreign direct investment (FDI) from APEC member economies from 2012 to 2022 accounted for more than $3.5 billion and 8,130 direct jobs in Washington State. In return, Washington State invested more than $43 billion and created 120,000 direct jobs in APEC member economies. These strong international ties foster a diverse and growing foreign-born community from APEC member economies totaling more than 415,000 people or 10.25% of the total population of Greater Seattle. For more information: https://greater-seattle.com/en/usapec2023.

Summary and Security
SOM3 and Ministerial Meetings (APEC Meetings) will occur in multiple venues across the Seattle, Washington area. To access any APEC Meetings and related events, media must have an event-issued credential for access, regardless of existing federal or official identification. Approval of media accreditation will permit access to the International Media Center but does not guarantee access to SOM 3 and Related Meetings.

Additional details regarding specific venues, security, credential pick-up, arrival logistics, and operational hours/pre-set arrangements will be directly transmitted to accredited media.

Accreditation and Access
All media representatives wishing to cover the APEC Meetings in Seattle, or access the meeting sites, must have a media credential. This credential is effective across all APEC events during this period.

Application Procedure and Deadline
Interested media should apply for a credential no later than July 22 at 5:30 PM Eastern Time (ET). Access the Accreditation Application Form. We encourage all media organizations to ensure accreditation is submitted for additional personnel/correspondents in case of contingencies (e.g., illness, assignment rotations, etc). No late or last-minute exceptions will be permitted.

Please note that submission of an application does not guarantee or constitute approval, and SOM 3 and Ministerial meetings media accreditation is independent from the visa process necessary for travel to the United States. Visa approval does not guarantee APEC Meetings accreditation, nor vice-versa.

Schedule and Coverage Opportunities
Media representatives should expect opening remarks from Ministerial meetings will be available for coverage, and subsequent press conferences, spanning the full Meeting dates:

  • August 2 – Senior Disaster Management Officials Forum, Chaired by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell
  • August 3 – Food Security Ministerial Meeting, Chaired by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack
  • August 6 – High Level Meeting on Health & Economy, Chaired by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra
  • August 15 – Energy Ministers’ Meeting, Chaired by U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm
  • August 18 – Women and the Economy Forum (WEF), Chaired by Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Gender Policy Council Jen Klein
  • August 21 – Small & Medium Enterprises Ministerial Meeting – Chaired by U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Marisa Lago

Participating member economies, and public and private-sector officials from the City of Seattle and State of Washington, may schedule informal or formal media opportunities throughout the duration of SOM 3 and related Ministerial Meetings, with or without advance notice.

To request one-on-one broadcast and print interviews with U.S. Government officials, please contact the individual agency directly via contact points below.

International Media Center (IMC), HostTV
The United States will provide an International Media Center (IMC) within the APEC venues, consisting of unassigned workspace and limited escort within the venue to interview delegates or conduct live shot / stand-up broadcasts. Unassigned workstations are available at no charge on a first-come, first-serve basis, and will include complimentary wireless internet access and power outlets (North American 120V).

International Media Center operational hours will be transmitted directly to accredited media.

Media organizations wishing to inquire about live transmission vehicle parking should email [email protected] by July 22, 2023.

HostTV: The United States will make available video and still images of the APEC events in Seattle as “clean” (no graphics/chyrons) in NTSC 1080i on a complimentary basis. HostTV events will be streamed live and available for download.

Accommodations
The United States is not providing accommodations for media attending APEC Meetings in Seattle, and all lodging must be secured independently. August is the height of the Seattle tourism season, we encourage attending media to secure accommodations quickly; limited recommendations are available through inquiry to [email protected].

Visas and Customs
It is strongly recommended that journalists planning to travel to the United States for the APEC meetings start the visa application process as soon as possible, regardless of the accreditation process. As previously stated, visa approval does not guarantee accreditation, nor vice-versa. Additional visa information for journalists traveling as part of an official delegation can be sent via email inquiry to the Office of the Chief of Protocol at [email protected].

All media covering the APEC meetings who are not U.S. citizens, or who do not currently have authorization to work in the United States, must have an appropriate visa to travel to the United States. For many, this will be an “I” nonimmigrant visa. The Visa Waiver Program does not cover individuals coming to the United States to work, even for a short period of time. Additionally, the Visa Waiver Program is not applicable to persons traveling on diplomatic passports. Visit http://travel.state.gov for more information.

Additional Questions, Technical Inquiries, and Contact Information
Please email [email protected] with any logistical media inquiries. For broader press inquiries regarding the APEC, please contact [email protected].

Media or editorial/interview inquiries to individual agencies can be referred to the following points of contact directly:

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