Tokyo Pacific Islands Centre to promote trade and investment [1]
Thursday, May 21, 2009 - 20:45. Updated on Saturday, April 26, 2014 - 21:43.
By Linny Folau
A Groundbreaking Ceremony marking the relocation of the Pacific Islands Centre to Meiji University in Tokyo was conducted on Wednesday, May 20 with Pacific Islands Forum Leaders present.
The short ceremony included the breaking of the soil on the ground floor of Meiji University building jointly conducted by the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Japan Ms Keiko Hashimoto, the Forum Secretary General, Mr Tuiloma Slade and the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, HE Mr Toke Talagi Prime Minister of Niue.
Mr Toke said in his address that this was the third relocation of the centre since it was established by the Government of Japan and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in October 2006.
He expressed his deep gratitude to Japan for continuing to assist in the centre, which is aimed at promoting trade and investment for Pacific Island countries.
He said the Pacific had always looked at Japan in relation to the promotion of its trade, some island countries were now exporting to Japan and the centre played a vital role in facilitating these exports.
The new office, which will be redesigned, is in a good location because the centre will be closer to the public eye and accessible, he said.
Promotion of trade
The Pacific Islands Centre was established to help Pacific Islands achieve economic development through the promotion of trade, tourism and investment between Japan and the Pacific.
Under an agreement signed between Japan and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Pacific Island Countries is dedicated to promoting exports from islands to Japan. It promotes investment from Japan to Pacific Islands, assists in cost effective importation from Japan and helps to revive tourist traffic to the islands from Japan.
The PIC caters for both private and government sector in the islands and Japan.
Following the opening ceremony, the Pacific Island Leaders were then welcomed at a reception hosted by the State Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Japan Ms Reiko Hashimoto at Liberty Tower.