IAP to hold Asia and Pacific Regional Conference in HK, first time in 20 years

The International Association of Prosecutors (IAP) will host its Asia and Pacific Regional Conference in Hong Kong, 20 years after it was last held in the city.

According to Sing Tao Daily, the sister paper of The Standard, the IAP executive committee agreed on the bid from the Department of Justice to host the conference in Hong Kong in November next year.

In addition, the IAP has accepted the bid from the Prosecutor General of Macau, Ip Sonsang, to host the IAP executive committee meeting in Macau in April 2024.

Ian Grenville Cross, vice chairman of the IAP senate and former Director of Public Prosecution of Hong Kong, believed that the decision of IAP could be seen as a milestone for Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu's plan of reaching out to the world and getting out a positive message about the city.

He added that IAP is the first and only world organization of prosecutors, representing about 200 prosecution agencies and over 2,000 individual prosecutors, and its decision to return to Hong Kong is a big vote of confidence in the HKSAR and its future.

Hong Kong joined IAP as its 75th organizational member in 2001, and it hosted the 4th IAP Asia & Pacific Regional Conference in 2004 at the Miramar Hotel and the 12th IAP Annual Conference & General Meeting at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in 2007.