In 2008, Peru took on the challenge of organizing the APEC summit (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation). To facilitate leadership transitions, the practice of “twinning” was introduced, involving the invitation of a foreign diplomatic official to join the cabinet of another country and support its agenda during the APEC year. Notably, this collaboration through “twinning” has been exclusively carried out with Australia on occasions when Peru has hosted the summit, thereby consolidating bilateral diplomatic relations between the two countries.

That year, David McLennan was chosen by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia (DFAT) to provide political support to the Presidency of Peru. This marked the first occasion when an exchange official was tasked to work for a year in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru, led at that time by Ambassador Quesada.

The success of the “twinning” implementation relied on the positive relationships established among individuals from diverse contexts working together. David detailed his experience working in Peru: “Harmony developed naturally from the beginning since the governments of Peru and Australia share many similarities, including a similar political approach to fundamental trade and economic issues on the APEC agenda.” Another achievement of the diplomat was contributing his policy skills to give the APEC agenda a dimension of regional strengthening and structural reforms. He also recalls that, “Despite being an Australian official, from the moment I stepped into the Peruvian Chancellery, I worked significantly to support the Peruvian agenda.”

In 2016, Peru hosted APEC again, with Jeremy Dicker being the selected diplomat for the program. And for 2024, Tahnee Reed, who has already started her duties, is the first female diplomat to be incorporated. Despite it being Tahnee’s first weeks in Peru, she has already embraced Peruvian culture, both in the workplace and at the dining table. Her main role will be to provide new alternatives to give the APEC agenda a dimension that strengthens Peru’s political focus and regional integration, which will be straightforward as the governments of Australia and Peru share common objectives for economic and commercial development.

“The weeks leading up to the meetings with the arrival of international leaders will be the most intense and challenging, but that’s what excites me the most,” confesses the Australian diplomat. “Many challenges may arise throughout this year, but I know I have a consolidated and strong team backing me to overcome obstacles victoriously.” This is largely due to the shared confidence between both cabinets in the core values of APEC: economic integration and free trade in the Asia-Pacific region.

The collaboration between Australia and Peru within the framework of APEC is a testament to the growing relationship between the two countries. Just as David McLennan in 2008 and Jeremy Dicker in 2016, Tahnee Reed will now play a historic role in driving the economic development of the Asia-Pacific. Best of luck, Tahnee!