McClay attends Pacific Trade Ministers Meeting
Hon Todd McClay
Minister of Trade
27 October 2015
McClay attends Pacific Trade Ministers Meeting
Associate
Trade Minister Hon Todd McClay is travelling to the Cook
Islands to attend the Pacific Islands Forum Trade Ministers
Meeting this week.
“Trade is one of the many important strands to New Zealand’s relationship with Pacific Island countries. The future of the Pacific’s regional economic development rests in finding ways to facilitate trade linkages and reducing supply side constraints,” says Mr McClay.
“Pacific Trade Ministers will take forward the regional trade agenda, including advancing negotiations of the Pacific trade agreement - PACER Plus.”
PACER Plus has16 participants; New Zealand, Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Nauru, Kiribati, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
“New Zealand has a direct and indirect influence on the economic prospects of Pacific Island countries. Fisheries, tourism, and agriculture represent significant opportunities, and agreements such as PACER Plus can deliver an increase in economic performance across the region,” says Mr McClay.
As well as attending the one day Forum Trade Ministers’ meeting in Rarotonga, Mr McClay will have discussions with Pacific economic ministers, and private sector representatives.
ENDS