Private sector representatives, major business leaders, Government Ministers and senior officials from the region are gearing up for the inaugural Pacific Islands Business Forum (PIBF).

The Business Forum will be held at the Radisson Fiji Resort, Denarau Island, Nadi, Fiji, from 6th-7th August 2007, with the theme 'Pacific Businesses - At the Threshold of Regional and Global Competition'.

Organised by the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO), the Pacific Islands Business Forum will bring together the major businesses from the region with Government and other regional policy makers to discuss pertinent issues and themes.

The 2007 Business Forum will focus discussion on opportunities and challenges facing Pacific businesses in an emerging market of greater regional integration and globalisation.

PIPSO Chair, Mr James T. Movick, says the Business Forum is an important means to enhance the effectiveness of public-private partnerships and dialogue in the region.

"The successful examples of South East Asia demonstrate quite clearly that there must be a living partnership between government and the private sector if we are to see effective economic growth," says Mr Movick.

"The Business Forum will create an opportunity for business and government leaders to jointly identify and recommend key policy initiatives to enhance private sector development and economic growth on a regional scale.

"This event will also present a valuable opportunity for participants to network with regional business leaders and explore opportunities for investment and collaboration."

Mr Movick adds that support for such private sector development mechanisms, including the setup of PIPSO, has been identified in the Pacific Plan, the region's guide to enhance and stimulate economic growth, sustainable development, good governance and security for Pacific countries through regionalism.

The Pacific Islands Business Forum 2007 is being supported by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and United Nations Development Programme Pacific Centre. Corporate sponsors are also coming forward with support for promotional consideration.

PIPSO is a private sector regional body established by representatives of national private sector organisations of the 14 Forum Island Countries. It recently opened its office within the Ryoichi Jinnai Conference Centre at the Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji. PIBF, 09/07/07.