NSA Dialogue On PACER Plus Historical

17 October 2010

NSA Dialogue On PACER Plus Historical

PRESS RELEASE (101/10)

18th October 2010

The Non-State Actors Dialogue on PACER Plus which got underway in Honiara, Solomon Islands this morning is historical as it is the first of its kind under the proposed trade agreement.

“The dialogue is not happening by accident but it is a commitment by government ministers and officials to fully engage with NSAs under the PACER Plus said Kaliopate Tavola, who will chair the Dialogue.

At a briefing on the meeting for both local and regional media, Mr Tavola said: “This meeting is a first of its kind and basically it will be looking at processes leading to the negotiations. We need to know the process. There will be exchange of views, questions, clarifications and open discussions.”

“For the first time we will have the different stakeholders in one room. So far we have been talking at different tangents but I hope that at the end of the dialogue we will have unity in the house. Hopefully we will have an outcomes or statement that each of the partners will take back to their various membership and the officials to their Ministers,” said Mr Tavola.

“This is the start of a genuine partnership. The commitment is there. We want that at the end of the day there is commitment on part of the Forum trade officials for engagement of NSAs at the national consultation process by countries.”

The Interim Executive Director of the Pacific Islands Association of Non-government Organisations (PIANGO), Mrs Emele Duituturaga told the media briefing this will be the first time that NSAs will be in the same room as the negotiators of PACER Plus.

“The NGOs have had many questions about the process of the negotiations of PACER Plus and felt we were outside of the process. We therefore welcome this opportunity to be in the room with the negotiators and the key stakeholders and to be able to raise some of the issues we have about the process.”

“Many of the NGOs want their voice to be heard at the beginning of the process of something of such importance as PACER Plus. We have come with an open mind. We want to be engaged in the process,” said Mrs Duituturaga.
Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO), Mrs Mereia Volavola told the media briefing that PIPSO welcomes the dialogue “as in any trade agreement the private sector is what makes the trade flow and so we want to be involved in the process right from the start.”

“We want to be involved in the process from the start to ensure the process is clear and transparent both at the national and regional levels,” said Ms Volavola.

The one-day NSA Dialogue on PACER Plus is being be attended by Forum island countries trade officials as well as those of Australia and New Zealand. The Chief Trade Adviser, PACER Plus, Dr Christopher Noonan is also at the meeting.

ENDS.

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