Pacific ACP Trade Ministers meet in Apia, Samoa
PRESS STATEMENT (34/09)
8TH JUNE 2009
PACIFIC ACP TRADE MINISTERS MEET IN SAMOA
Pacific ACP (PACP) Trade Ministers will meet in Apia, Samoa, on 15-16 June to consider a wide range of regional trade and related initiatives.
The PACP includes the 14 Forum Island Countries.
The meeting in Apia is expected to review recent developments and give policy directions on various trade negotiations and relations in which the PACPS are currently participating.
These include the ongoing Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations between the Pacific ACP States (PACPS) and the European Union; developments in the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA), including broadening the Agreement to include trade in services; and how best to progress initiatives relating to the deepening of trade and economic cooperation with Australia and New Zealand under the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER), a process commonly known as PACER Plus.
The meeting will also review current developments of the multilateral trade negotiations in the WTO as well as an update on the Traditional Knowledge Action Plan aimed at promoting and protecting the rights of PACPS to their traditional knowledge.
As well, Ministers will receive an update and establish positions on trade capacity-building assistance to the PACPS and the establishment of a Trade and Development Facility to channel development assistance to them to promote trade-related activities in a cost effective, efficient manner.
A meeting of Pacific ACP Trade officials will be held in Apia on 8 -10 June to prepare for the Ministers Meeting.
ENDS.
For more information, contact Mr Shiu Raj, the Forum Secretariat’s Acting Director, Economic Governance Programme, on phone (679) 331-2600 or email shiuj@forumsec.org.fj
8TH JUNE 2009
PACIFIC ACP TRADE MINISTERS MEET IN SAMOA
Pacific ACP (PACP) Trade Ministers will meet in Apia, Samoa, on 15-16 June to consider a wide range of regional trade and related initiatives.
The PACP includes the 14 Forum Island Countries.
The meeting in Apia is expected to review recent developments and give policy directions on various trade negotiations and relations in which the PACPS are currently participating.
These include the ongoing Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations between the Pacific ACP States (PACPS) and the European Union; developments in the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA), including broadening the Agreement to include trade in services; and how best to progress initiatives relating to the deepening of trade and economic cooperation with Australia and New Zealand under the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER), a process commonly known as PACER Plus.
The meeting will also review current developments of the multilateral trade negotiations in the WTO as well as an update on the Traditional Knowledge Action Plan aimed at promoting and protecting the rights of PACPS to their traditional knowledge.
As well, Ministers will receive an update and establish positions on trade capacity-building assistance to the PACPS and the establishment of a Trade and Development Facility to channel development assistance to them to promote trade-related activities in a cost effective, efficient manner.
A meeting of Pacific ACP Trade officials will be held in Apia on 8 -10 June to prepare for the Ministers Meeting.
ENDS.
For more information, contact Mr Shiu Raj, the Forum Secretariat’s Acting Director, Economic Governance Programme, on phone (679) 331-2600 or email shiuj@forumsec.org.fj
