Commonwealth Business Communications
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • COUNTRIES
    • AFRICA
      • BOTSWANA
      • CAMEROON
      • GAMBIA
      • GHANA
      • KENYA
      • KINGDOM OF eSWATINI
      • LESOTHO
      • MALAWI
      • MAURITIUS
      • MOZAMBIQUE
      • NAMIBIA
      • NIGERIA
      • RWANDA
      • SEYCHELLES
      • SIERRA LEONE
      • SOUTH AFRICA
      • TANZANIA
      • UGANDA
      • ZAMBIA
    • ASIA
      • BANGLADESH
      • BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
      • INDIA
      • MALAYSIA
      • MALDIVES
      • PAKISTAN
      • SINGAPORE
      • SRI LANKA
    • CARIBBEAN AND AMERICAS
      • ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
      • BAHAMAS
      • BARBADOS
      • BELIZE
      • CANADA
      • DOMINICA
      • GRENADA
      • GUYANA
      • JAMAICA
      • SAINT LUCIA
      • ST KITTS AND NEVIS
      • ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
      • TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
    • EUROPE
      • CYPRUS
      • MALTA
      • UNITED KINGDOM
    • PACIFIC
      • AUSTRALIA
      • FIJI
      • KIRIBATI
      • NAURU
      • NEW ZEALAND
      • PAPUA NEW GUINEA
      • SAMOA
      • SOLOMON ISLANDS
      • TONGA
      • TUVALU
      • VANUATU
  • AREAS OF WORK
    • GOVERNMENT
    • EDUCATION
    • HEALTH
    • ICT
    • INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
    • NATURAL RESOURCES
    • SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
    • TRADE AND INVESTMENT
  • OUR PUBLICATIONS
    • CHOGM
      • COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT INTERIM REPORT 2020
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2018 REPORT
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2015 REPORT
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2011 REPORT
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2009 REPORT
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2007 REPORT
    • HEALTH
      • COMMONWEALTH HEALTH REPORT 2022
      • COMMONWEALTH HEALTH REPORT 2020
    • EDUCATION
      • COMMONWEALTH EDUCATION REPORT 2021
      • COMMONWEALTH EDUCATION REPORT 2019
    • MINISTERS
      • MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK COMMONWEALTH 2017
      • MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK COMMONWEALTH 2015
      • MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK COMMONWEALTH 2014
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2011
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2010
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2009
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2008
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2007
    • FINANCE
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REPORT 2012
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REFERENCE REPORT 2010
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REFERENCE REPORT 2009
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REFERENCE REPORT 2008
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REFERENCE REPORT 2007
    • TRADE AND INVESTMENT
      • AFRICA INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT REPORT 2013
    • QUEEN AND COMMONWEALTH
      • QUEEN & COMMONWEALTH: CELEBRATING HER MAJESTY’S PLATINUM JUBILEE
      • QUEEN & COMMONWEALTH: 90 GLORIOUS YEARS
      • QUEEN & COMMONWEALTH: CELEBRATING HER MAJESTY’S DIAMOND JUBILEE
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • CONTACT US
Commonwealth Business Communications
Commonwealth Business Communications
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • COUNTRIES
    • AFRICA
      • BOTSWANA
      • CAMEROON
      • GAMBIA
      • GHANA
      • KENYA
      • KINGDOM OF eSWATINI
      • LESOTHO
      • MALAWI
      • MAURITIUS
      • MOZAMBIQUE
      • NAMIBIA
      • NIGERIA
      • RWANDA
      • SEYCHELLES
      • SIERRA LEONE
      • SOUTH AFRICA
      • TANZANIA
      • UGANDA
      • ZAMBIA
    • ASIA
      • BANGLADESH
      • BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
      • INDIA
      • MALAYSIA
      • MALDIVES
      • PAKISTAN
      • SINGAPORE
      • SRI LANKA
    • CARIBBEAN AND AMERICAS
      • ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
      • BAHAMAS
      • BARBADOS
      • BELIZE
      • CANADA
      • DOMINICA
      • GRENADA
      • GUYANA
      • JAMAICA
      • SAINT LUCIA
      • ST KITTS AND NEVIS
      • ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
      • TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
    • EUROPE
      • CYPRUS
      • MALTA
      • UNITED KINGDOM
    • PACIFIC
      • AUSTRALIA
      • FIJI
      • KIRIBATI
      • NAURU
      • NEW ZEALAND
      • PAPUA NEW GUINEA
      • SAMOA
      • SOLOMON ISLANDS
      • TONGA
      • TUVALU
      • VANUATU
  • AREAS OF WORK
    • GOVERNMENT
    • EDUCATION
    • HEALTH
    • ICT
    • INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
    • NATURAL RESOURCES
    • SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
    • TRADE AND INVESTMENT
  • OUR PUBLICATIONS
    • CHOGM
      • COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT INTERIM REPORT 2020
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2018 REPORT
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2015 REPORT
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2011 REPORT
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2009 REPORT
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2007 REPORT
    • HEALTH
      • COMMONWEALTH HEALTH REPORT 2022
      • COMMONWEALTH HEALTH REPORT 2020
    • EDUCATION
      • COMMONWEALTH EDUCATION REPORT 2021
      • COMMONWEALTH EDUCATION REPORT 2019
    • MINISTERS
      • MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK COMMONWEALTH 2017
      • MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK COMMONWEALTH 2015
      • MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK COMMONWEALTH 2014
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2011
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2010
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2009
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2008
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2007
    • FINANCE
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REPORT 2012
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REFERENCE REPORT 2010
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REFERENCE REPORT 2009
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REFERENCE REPORT 2008
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REFERENCE REPORT 2007
    • TRADE AND INVESTMENT
      • AFRICA INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT REPORT 2013
    • QUEEN AND COMMONWEALTH
      • QUEEN & COMMONWEALTH: CELEBRATING HER MAJESTY’S PLATINUM JUBILEE
      • QUEEN & COMMONWEALTH: 90 GLORIOUS YEARS
      • QUEEN & COMMONWEALTH: CELEBRATING HER MAJESTY’S DIAMOND JUBILEE
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • CONTACT US

UNCTAD, New Zealand and Australia launch project for Pacific islands

  • CBC News Team
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

The project will help nine Pacific island nations comply with trade and investment-related requirements of the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus free trade deal

UNCTAD launched earlier this month an 18-month, AU$2 million project to help nine Pacific island countries align their trade and investment rules and regulations with their obligations under a regional free trade deal that enters into force in June 2019.

The deal, the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus, covers goods, services and investment and has been signed by Australia, New Zealand and nine island neighbours – Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Businesses operating in small island nations find it challenging to achieve the economies of scale needed to compete in international markets. The goal of PACER Plus is to boost trade between the signatory countries and thus create more opportunities in the Pacific Ocean for their businesses to grow.

But for this to happen, the countries need to align their trade and investment regulations, so that the trading environment is more predictable, the customs procedures are more similar, and the non-tariff measures, such as sanitary and phytosanitary measures, a more consistent and transparent.

“For UNCTAD, this project mobilizes several of our core competencies,” UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi said.

“Non-tariff measures, trade facilitation and exchange of information through electronic trade portals – these are areas where UNCTAD can help build capacity,” Dr. Kituyi said, adding that the project will have a strong focus on gender mainstreaming to ensure trade reduces inequalities between men and women.

The 18-month project, financed by Australia and New Zealand, was launched in Samoa during a meeting between trade officials of the 11 PACER Plus signatory countries held on 12 and 13 July.

Edgar Cocker, chief executive officer of Tonga’s commerce and labour ministry said: “This is extremely important for the country's ability to access and promote its trade and investment potential worldwide”.

A national trade advisor for the Kiribati-Commonwealth Secretariat, Samson Odhiambo, added: “It was interesting to note the insights and best practices on how PACER Plus parties can use a trade portal strategy to advance the regional trade integration agenda and to broadly meet the PACER Plus transparency obligations.”

During the two-day meeting, UNCTAD also had bilateral meetings with other organizations involved in the project, including Oceania Customs Organization and the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat.

In the coming months, UNCTAD will design training workshops and online courses for countries, taking into account whether they are members of the World Trade Organization. This is because those that are members – Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu – must also comply with the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement as well as PACER Plus.

The project will also include workshops at the regional level to help the countries develop a common strategy and to facilitate the exchange of information between them. In addition, UNCTAD will set up a network of National Transparency PACER Plus Committees and a regional trade hub to ensure project sustainability.

Learn more: UNCTAD

UNCTAD_Logo.jpg

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
CBC News Team

Previous Article

Jamaica and CARICOM Open to Greater Partnerships

  • CBC News Team
Read More
Next Article

Barbados Hosts CSME Meeting

  • CBC News Team
Read More
You May Also Like
Read More
  • Uncategorized

FREEDOM DAY – SOUTH AFRICA

  • CBC News Team
  • 27 April 2022
Read More
  • Uncategorized

Anzac day

  • CBC News Team
  • 25 April 2022
Read More
  • Uncategorized

HM THE QUEEN MARKS 70 YEARS AS HEAD OF COMMONWEALTH

  • CBC News Team
  • 5 February 2022
Read More
  • Uncategorized

NATIONAL DAY – GIBRALTAR

  • CBC News Team
  • 10 September 2021
Read More
  • Uncategorized

BIRMINGHAM 2022 FULLY ON TRACK TO STAGE WORLD CLASS EVENT

  • CBC News Team
  • 6 June 2021
Read More
  • Uncategorized

CGF COMMISSION SET FOR LATEST REVIEW OF BIRMINGHAM 2022

  • CBC News Team
  • 31 May 2021
Read More
  • Uncategorized

95TH BIRTHDAY OF HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II

  • CBC News Team
  • 21 April 2021
Shot of businessman and businesswoman advocating for gender equality against a grey studio background
Read More
  • COUNTRIES
  • AREAS OF WORK
  • Uncategorized

INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENTS FOR GENDER EQUALITY

  • CBC News Team
  • 15 February 2021
OUR LATEST PUBLICATION

Subscribe to our Newsletter

PARTNER FOCUS
Recent Posts
  • Solomon Islands Independence Day
    Celebrating Solomon Islands Independence Day
  • Antigua and Barbuda LGBTQI+
    Antigua and Barbuda repeals anti-LGBTQI+ laws
  • Malawi Independence Day
    Celebrating Malawi Independence Day
  • Commonwealth cybercrime
    Commonwealth Africa Cyber Fellowship launched to bolster cybercrime prevention

Subscribe

Subscribe now to our newsletter

Commonwealth Business Communications
  • HOME
  • About
  • Contact
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
© 2022 Commonwealth Business Communications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Input your search keywords and press Enter.