Forum links economic and trade ministers with private sector

Economic and Trade Ministers, and Private Sector meet in Cook Islands

26 October 2015

Pacific Islands Forum Economic and Trade Ministers and officials, including regional Private Sector representatives, will gather in Cook Islands from 27- 30 October, 2015 for the Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM), Forum Trade Ministers Meeting (FTMM), and a Joint Meeting of Economic and Trade Ministers with the Private Sector.

This series of meetings will focus on increased engagement of the Private Sector in the Pacific island economies and discuss ways to address the concerns of the Private Sector through regional approaches.

Forum Economic and Trade Ministers will meet on 28 October to discuss the Framework for Pacific Regionalism, including their role in the implementation of the regional priorities agreed to by the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders at their annual meeting in September 2015.

The 2015 FEMM will convene on 29 October, with the overarching theme of “Building Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as a Catalyst for Economic Growth” in the Pacific islands.

The 2015 FTMM will also convene on 29 October with discussions focused on “Supporting Private Sector for Increased Trade, Investment and Development” for the Pacific islands.

A Private Sector Dialogue (PSD) Workshop will bring together representatives of the national private sector organisations and industry representatives from the Forum Island Countries on 27 October to deliberate on issues which affect micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the region.

A Joint Economic and Trade Ministers Meeting (JETMM) with the Private Sector will be held on 30 October focusing on “Addressing Economic Development in the Pacific Islands through the Private Sector”, to discuss joint policy options to support the private sector-led growth in the region, as well as their joint roles in implementing the 2015 Forum Leaders priorities.

Public seminars on Building Economic Resilience and Enhancing Private Sector Development in the Pacific will be held in the afternoons of 28 and 29 October respectively.

Discussions with the development partners on the implementation of the Ministers’ decisions will be facilitated on 30 October.

More information:
The 2015 FEMM, FTMM, PSD Workshop and associated events consist of:
• 27 October: Forum Economic Officials Meeting; Forum Trade Officials Meeting; and Private Sector Dialogue Workshop.
• 28 October: Official Opening; Joint Ministerial Retreat to discuss the Framework for Pacific Regionalism; Officials’ meeting with the Private Sector; and Public Seminar on Building Economic Resilience.
• 29 October: Forum Economic Ministers Meeting; Forum Trade Ministers Meeting; and Public Seminar on Enhancing Private Sector Development in the Pacific.
• 30 October: Joint Forum Economic and Trade Ministers (JETMM) with the Private Sector; and Partnerships Meeting.

The FEMM will focus on key regional issues relating to financing for development, public financial management reforms; Forum Compact, Sustainable Development Goals and S.A.M.O.A. Pathway; regional statistics and tourism initiatives; economic empowerment of women; climate change finance; and Non-Communicable Diseases Roadmap. Economic Ministers will also deliberate on the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Insurance Pilot programme.

The FTMM will focus on key regional trade and investment issues, including the preparatory process for the upcoming 10th WTO Ministerial Conference to be convened in Nairobi in December, 2015; Value Chains, Investment and Trade Facilitation Reform; PACER Plus Negotiations; and a draft Pacific Regional Labor Mobility Framework. Other standing agenda items include the Report on the Pacific Islands Trade and Invest Network, and Developments on Traditional Knowledge and Intellectual Property matters, to name a few.

ENDS

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