Former Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs official Matt Murray is the new U.S. Senior Official for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Department of State (DOS) said in a press release.
Murray is a longtime bureaucrat with 23 years of foreign service experience.
"The United States fully supports APEC's mission to advance a free, fair and open economic policy agenda that benefits U.S. workers, businesses and families," the DOS Office of the Spokesperson said in the Feb. 11 release.
The DOS said that Murray brings "a wealth of experience" to the role. Murray has served mostly in economic policy roles in Washington, as well as diplomatic posts in the Asia-Pacific region. Most recently, he led the DOS' Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs as Senior Official after serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in Trade Policy and Negotiations.
APEC's 21-member economics accounts for nearly half of all global trade, with the area receiving 62% of all of U.S. exports.
"Through engagement at APEC, the United States supports U.S. innovation and the digital economy, helps U.S. companies do business and support jobs and families here at home, expands women’s participation in the economy and promotes healthy, resilient and sustainable economies," the DOS said.
