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Pacific EU SPIRIT Project

Free, Prosperous & Resilient Pacific Communities

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Tonga  Gets 27 New Paravets for Animal Health and Livestock Industry

Twenty seven paravet trainees in Tonga completed the training programme, a milestone that will enhance the nation’s capabilities to support its animal health and livestock industry.

 

They represent the second batch of paravet graduates in Tonga since 2008.

The individuals (11 females and 16 males) passed their final assessment and are now equipped with knowledge and skills to deliver professional animal healthcare and production advice to farming communities in-country.
 

Organised by the Pacific Community (SPC) through the European Union-funded Safe Agricultural Trade Facilitation through Economic Integration in the Pacific (SAFE Pacific) project, the training was delivered in partnership with the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Animal Health and Biosecurity Pacific Partnership team, and the Animal Health and Biosecurity Services Ltd.

 

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Cook Islands Trade Policy Review After Almost a Decade - A Vision of

Economic Resilience, Sustainable Growth, and Shared Prosperity

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The Cook Islands Trade Policy Framework (TPF), last reviewed in 2015, is being revised to reflect the country’s evolving economic priorities.

 

The Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Albert Nicholas, who officiated at the workshop, stated that “[t]his document represents a collective vision for the Cook Islands, a vision of economic resilience, sustainable growth, and shared prosperity.” said Nicholas, emphasizing the policy’s focus on diversification to build a resilient economy.

 

He added that the updated framework prioritizes trade in services, especially in sectors where the Cook Islands holds a competitive advantage, such as tourism, digital services, and cultural industries.

 

The consultancy is supported by the EU-funded SPIRIT Project managed by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

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Fiji Government Approves the Full Implementation of the EU Pacific Interim Economic Partnership Agreement (iEPA)

Suva, Fiji, 21 August 2024 - Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Trade, and Honourable Manoa Kamikamica, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Cooperatives, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Communications of Fiji are pleased to announce the further strengthening of bilateral trade relations, through the full implementation of the interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Union and the Pacific States.

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🌏🇫🇯 EU-Fiji trade gets a boost! We’ve now fully implemented our Economic Partnership Agreement between 🇪🇺 and Pacific States 🏝️. This means: ✅ More opportunities for businesses & investors ✅ More support for local island economies

👉 https://t.co/C2erOTUfKw

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RMI goes live with ASYCUDAWorld

The Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) has upgraded its customs processes by implementing the cutting-edge ASYCUDAWorld system backed by the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The system automates customs processes, offering numerous benefits to the trading community in RMI, including the Ministry of Finance’s Customs Division and the Government.

 

ASYCUDAWorld enhances efficiency, transparency, and improved revenue while reducing time and costs associated with customs processes for the stakeholders. Additionally, it aligns RMI’s customs operations with international standards, most significantly the introduction of the Harmonized System for goods classification, further facilitating global trade and ensuring better data quality and accuracy.

 

The digital transformation is supported by the European Union’s (EU) Improving Pacific Islands Customs and Trade (IMPACT) Project, implemented by UN Trade and Development’s ASYCUDA Pacific Programme, which aimed at increasing and enhancing regional trade in the Pacific. During the launch, the Minister for Finance of the Republic of Marshall Islands, Mr. David Paul, emphasised on the Government’s commitment to enabling conducive business environment through the innovations in the country.

 

Providing an overview of the transition journey, the Secretary of Finance, Ms. Ayako Yamaguchi-Eliou, noted that until now, the Customs Division operated without a comprehensive IT system.“We rely on manual methods which limits our ability to address other customs processes effectively. This in turn hampers our compliance with international standards,” she said.“Automation is expected to significantly boost the productivity of our Customs Division, which in turn will enable us to collect duties and trade statistics with greater accuracy; thus providing timely and satisfactory service to all end-users and assist informed planning,” Ms. Yamaguchi-Eliou explained.

 

The Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to the Pacific, Mr. Maurizio Cian, congratulated the RMI government for the work done to make the implementation possible. Mr. Cian stated that the EU, through the IMPACT Project, aimed to support Pacific States to digitally connect regionally and with the rest of the world to enhance trade.“This system makes it easy to comply with international standards, collect customs revenue, save time and reduce paperwork; therefore, it is a win-win situation for the government, private sector and for all operators,” Mr. Cian highlighted. He further emphasized the continued commitment of the EU in promoting trade development in the Pacific.

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Customs officials and the ASYCUDA Project team members from the Ministry of Finance, Customs Division at the Republic of Marshall Islands at the launch of the ASYCUDAWorld.© RMI Government

Additionally, the Regional Coordinator for the United Nations Trade and Development, ASYCUDA Programme – Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Jayvee Santos, emphasized that beyond its numerous benefits, ASYCUDA would facilitate smoother international trade and help RMI meet its regional and international trade obligations, ultimately benefiting the economy as a whole.

 

Mr. Santos further reminded the participants during the launch that “automating customs services does not come without its challenges; there will be a period of adjustment and learning, however the benefits from the transformation are substantial in the long term.”The United Nations Resident Coordinator for the Micronesia Sub-Region (Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Kiribati), Mr. Jaap van Hierden, acknowledged the efforts of the RMI Government, UNCTAD, and the stakeholders in enabling the transformative change.

 

Following the launch in Majuro, the system will be rolled out in Ebeye in September 2024.​RMI became the 15th Pacific nation to deploy ASYCUDA and to automate its customs processes, successfully concluding one of the key goals of the IMPACT project: to standardize and simplify customs operations in the region. About ASYCUDAWorld: ASYCUDAWorld is a cutting-edge customs management system by UN Trade and Development aimed at simplifying trade and customs processes.About the IMPACT Project: Funded by the European Union, the IMPACT project seeks to enhance customs operations through technological advancements and capacity building.

Source: https://pacific.asycuda.org/

Nauru's Validation Workshop on its First Foreign Investment Regime Paves a New Strategic Direction for Policymakers

13 August 2024 - EU's Head of Mission of the EU Delegation for the Pacific, Ambassador Barbara Plinkert, delivered the keynote address at the workshop during her official visit to Nauru this week to present her credentials to the Government of Nauru.

 

Nauru's Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Development, Ms. Novena Itsimaera, officiated at the opening ceremony, which witnessed high representation from the government, private sector, and other key stakeholders.

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The workshop was chaired by Nauru's Foreign Investment Adviser, Mr. Laben Taldon, with consultants from Ernst and Young spearheading the discussions, with a high level of engagement from the participants.

 

The PIFS-SPIRIT Team Leader, Ms. Setaita Tupua, delivered the closing remarks, marking the successful conclusion of the workshop. This activity paves the pathway to identifying the immediate trade and investment-related policy gaps that need to be addressed and aimed at heralding a new strategic direction for Nauru's sustainable development objectives and implementation.

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Ambassador Plinkert meets with Nauru's Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Development, Ms. Novena Itsimaera (far right) and Nauru's Foreign Investment Adviser, Mr. Laben Taldon (second from right).

Your PRISE Quarterly Newsletter June 2024 Issue is Here!

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This website is funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

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