International Trade
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International trade issues have become a key focus of Secretariat Economic Governance Programme attention.
Main activities include: (a) Facilitating Forum Island Country (FIC) participation in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and assisting FICs to promoting their interests in WTO multilateral trade negotiations, especially through the Office of the Forum Permanent Representation to the WTO in Geneva, established with the assistance of the European Union; (b) supporting FICs as Pacific members of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group in their Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations with the European Union and co-ordinating EPA-related activities at the regional level; and (c) conducting studies and related work relative to possible trading arrangements between FICs and other countries/trade groupings beyond the region. TRADE CAPACITY-BUILDING The Secretariat is also very much involved in trade capacity-building activities at both the national and regional levels, especially through the Hub and Spokes Project located at the Secretariat that is administered by the Commonwealth Secretariat with the financial assistance of the European Union. |
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