Forum Trade Ministers to advance Regional Trade in Vava'u [1]
Friday, May 13, 2011 - 20:41. Updated on Monday, September 9, 2013 - 18:40.
Pacific Trade Ministers will meet in Vava'u next week to discuss regional work programs, including progress on the PACER Plus negotiations and efforts to improve the trade facilitation between Forum Island countries with Australia and New Zealand.
Forum Trade Officials will firstly meet on May 16-17 to discuss trade matters and develop recommendations for consideration by Trade Ministers who meet on May 18-19 in Vava'u, according to a statement from the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat.
Other issues to be discussed included the operations of the Office of the Permanent Delegation of the Pacific Islands Forum to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, trade promotion work by Pacific Islands Trade and Invest and progress made on regional work to develop frameworks for the protection of traditional Knowledge and Intellectual Property.
Forum Trade Officials will first meet to discuss trade matters and develop recommendations for consideration by Trade Ministers in their meeting.
Forum Secretary General Tuiloma Neroni Slade who will attend the Ministers Meeting in Vava'u, said Ministers and officials have an important and challenging task ahead
He looked forward for their guidance on issues that would shape the nature of trade in the region. "At this meeting Ministers will consider a range of issues and make decisions which will help their
communities benefit more fully from trade," he said.
Tonga
The CEO of Tonga's Ministry for Labour and Commerce, Tatafu Moeaki said the Forum Ministers Meeting would be discussing many trade related issues including WTO.
He said the main agenda would be focused on how to progress PACER Plus negotiation and Tonga was interested because of its close trade relations with New Zealand in regards to goods and services.
He said that while Tonga had accepted to negotiate but the negotiations on PACER Plus had not started. "It would be a start at the Forum Trade Ministers Meeting," he said.
It is expected that up to seven Forum Trade Ministers will attend the meeting including Tonga's Minister of Labour and Commerce Hon Lisiate 'Akolo.
The Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Islands Affairs, Hon Richard Marles MP, will represent Australia.
Meanwhile, New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Hon Murray McCully visited Tonga earlier this week and talked with Tonga's Minister of Labour and other officials.
Trade Ministers will communicate their decision to Forum Leaders for consideration at their Summit in Auckland in September.
Trade Ministers are not expected to arrive into Vava'u until Monday, May 16.