CI Times Weekly | Current Issue 262 | 04 August 2008
Rarotonga to host Trade meeting
The Cook Islands will host next week’s regional Trade Ministers meeting in Rarotonga on the 22 July. Mandated by Forum Leaders in 1998, the Forum Trade Ministers Meeting (FTMM) is aimed at developing strategies for dealing with the challenges of integration into the global trading system and to review progress on trade liberalisation, facilitation and other related issues. The first FTMM was held in 1999 and since 2003 it has convened annually to discuss a number of matters including those related to the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA) and the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER).
The Ministerial session will be preceded by the Forum Trade Officials Meeting on the 21 July with recommendations from the officials meeting to be considered by Ministers during FTMM. Wilkie Rasmussen, Minister of Foreign Affairs & Immigration is expected to Chair the meeting which will include Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, Foreign Minister of Fiji and Sam Abal, Foreign Minister for Papua New Guinea. A number of other Forum Island Country Ministers are also expected with New Zealand represented by the Luamanuvao Winne Laban, Minister of Pacific Island Affairs and Associate Minister of Trade. The Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Peter Forau is also expected to attend.
While a number of topics will be on the agenda, the key item is likely to be PACER Plus discussions and how the parties would like to see that progress. Forum Island Countries, including the Cook Islands have been involved in trade negotiations with the European Union over the last 5 years as part of the ACP group. The EU negotiations, which were expected to have been concluded in 2007, are still on foot, though two of the countries, Papua New Guinea and Fiji, initialed an interim agreement with the EU at the end of 2007 to protect market access for their key exports. This action has prompted recent calls by Australia and New Zealand for movement on PACER discussions.
Some fifty trade officials and Ministers from Forum Member Countries as well as technical officials from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat are expected to congregate in Rarotonga for the two day meeting which will be held at the Edgewater Resort.