PACREIP supports FIC trade and private sector
PRESS STATEMENT (129/08)
4th December 2008
PACIFIC REGIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION PROGRAMME (PACREIP) PROVIDES TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO FIC TRADE AND PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT
The Pacific Regional Economic Integration Programme (PACREIP) funded by the European Union and coordinated by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat has provided invaluable technical and financial support to all the 14 Forum Island countries since it started in 2004.
The support was outlined during a meeting of the PACREIP Programme Steering Committee held at the Forum Secretariat in Suva on Wednesday 3rd December 2008.
The Committee meeting was to consider a number of important issues relating to the management and implementation of the PACREIP work programmes and budget.
In particular, the meeting considered the progress report of the PACREIP 2008 Work Programme and Budget up to the end of September 2009, including the draft PACREIP 2009 Work Programme and Budget.
In his opening remarks to the meeting, Dr Roman Grynberg, Director of the Forum Secretariat’s Economic Governance Programme said: “PACREIP has undoubtedly provided invaluable technical and financial support to all the 14 Pacific ACP States since the Programme started in June 2004. This is in terms of technical support to their overall capacity building needs in trade related areas and private sector development.”
“This statement of fact was confirmed by the Report of the Mid-Term Review of PACREIP which was undertaken in June 2007. The Report, among other things recommended that the funding of PACREIP be extended when the current funding cycle of the Programme expires,” said Dr Grynberg.
“We are assured by the EC that they have agreed in principle to the PACREIP Rider 2, requesting the operational phase of PACREIP to be extended for a further 12 months from June 30th 2009. And we look forward to their official approval on the rider as soon as possible which will enable all the components in the PACREIP to fully implement their programmed activities in order to achieve the Progrmme’s overall results.”
Dr Grynberg said: “The achievements of the programme would not have been possible without the funding support we have under the PACREIP. On this note, let me on behalf of the Secretary General, and who is also the Regional Authorising Officer responsible for the implementation of EDF regional funding programmes and the PACPS, covey our sincere gratitude to the EC for the funding given to our region under the PACREIP.”
PACREIP has so far achieved the following:
o On PICTA, six FICs, namely Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are ready to trade under PICTA, whilst Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea and Tonga are expected to formally announce their readiness to trade under PICTA by the end of 2008 or early next year. Following the mandate of PACP Trade Ministers in March, progress has been made by FICs in negotiating a Trade in Services Agreement under PICTA and if all goes to plan, FICs will conclude a Trade in Services Agreement by end of 2009;
o On the EPA negotiations, apart from a few outstanding issues on the principles and legal language of the text the EC and the PACPS are closer than originally anticipated in concluding a comprehensive EPA. It is possible that a comprehensive PACP-EU EPA may be concluded by the first half of 2009;
o Another obvious positive result of PACREIP is the improved skills and confidence of senior trade officials in their participation in the EPA negotiations process which was lacking before this process began in 2004;
o On WTO, the establishment of the Forum Office in Geneva under the PACREIP funding has provided tangible benefits to the FICs in terms of representing their trade interests in the WTO. Without this tangible support, FICs interests will not be adequately represented in the WTO; This has been particularly the case on the vital issue of fisheries subsidies;
o On trade facilitation and biosecurity, a number of FICs are close to enacting legislations on biosecurity and quarantine standards to facilitate trade, thanks largely to the Component 4.2, being implemented by SPC;
o On financial sector and fiscal reform, Tuvalu and Kiribati have been provided support in this area. Funding under the PACREIP has been used to engage a short term consultant to assist with the drafting of Tuvalu’s tax legislation.
o On private sector development, technical support has been extended to SMEs in FICs in preparing their business and product developments, including providing support to the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO); and
o Funding under PACREIP has enabled the PIFS, especially the Economic Governance Programme to provide and facilitate technical assistance to PACPS in the overall regional economic integration process.
ENDS.
For more information contact Mr Moses Mose, the PACREIP Manager on phone 679 331 2600 or email mosesm@forumsec.org.fj
4th December 2008
PACIFIC REGIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION PROGRAMME (PACREIP) PROVIDES TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO FIC TRADE AND PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT
The Pacific Regional Economic Integration Programme (PACREIP) funded by the European Union and coordinated by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat has provided invaluable technical and financial support to all the 14 Forum Island countries since it started in 2004.
The support was outlined during a meeting of the PACREIP Programme Steering Committee held at the Forum Secretariat in Suva on Wednesday 3rd December 2008.
The Committee meeting was to consider a number of important issues relating to the management and implementation of the PACREIP work programmes and budget.
In particular, the meeting considered the progress report of the PACREIP 2008 Work Programme and Budget up to the end of September 2009, including the draft PACREIP 2009 Work Programme and Budget.
In his opening remarks to the meeting, Dr Roman Grynberg, Director of the Forum Secretariat’s Economic Governance Programme said: “PACREIP has undoubtedly provided invaluable technical and financial support to all the 14 Pacific ACP States since the Programme started in June 2004. This is in terms of technical support to their overall capacity building needs in trade related areas and private sector development.”
“This statement of fact was confirmed by the Report of the Mid-Term Review of PACREIP which was undertaken in June 2007. The Report, among other things recommended that the funding of PACREIP be extended when the current funding cycle of the Programme expires,” said Dr Grynberg.
“We are assured by the EC that they have agreed in principle to the PACREIP Rider 2, requesting the operational phase of PACREIP to be extended for a further 12 months from June 30th 2009. And we look forward to their official approval on the rider as soon as possible which will enable all the components in the PACREIP to fully implement their programmed activities in order to achieve the Progrmme’s overall results.”
Dr Grynberg said: “The achievements of the programme would not have been possible without the funding support we have under the PACREIP. On this note, let me on behalf of the Secretary General, and who is also the Regional Authorising Officer responsible for the implementation of EDF regional funding programmes and the PACPS, covey our sincere gratitude to the EC for the funding given to our region under the PACREIP.”
PACREIP has so far achieved the following:
o On PICTA, six FICs, namely Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are ready to trade under PICTA, whilst Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea and Tonga are expected to formally announce their readiness to trade under PICTA by the end of 2008 or early next year. Following the mandate of PACP Trade Ministers in March, progress has been made by FICs in negotiating a Trade in Services Agreement under PICTA and if all goes to plan, FICs will conclude a Trade in Services Agreement by end of 2009;
o On the EPA negotiations, apart from a few outstanding issues on the principles and legal language of the text the EC and the PACPS are closer than originally anticipated in concluding a comprehensive EPA. It is possible that a comprehensive PACP-EU EPA may be concluded by the first half of 2009;
o Another obvious positive result of PACREIP is the improved skills and confidence of senior trade officials in their participation in the EPA negotiations process which was lacking before this process began in 2004;
o On WTO, the establishment of the Forum Office in Geneva under the PACREIP funding has provided tangible benefits to the FICs in terms of representing their trade interests in the WTO. Without this tangible support, FICs interests will not be adequately represented in the WTO; This has been particularly the case on the vital issue of fisheries subsidies;
o On trade facilitation and biosecurity, a number of FICs are close to enacting legislations on biosecurity and quarantine standards to facilitate trade, thanks largely to the Component 4.2, being implemented by SPC;
o On financial sector and fiscal reform, Tuvalu and Kiribati have been provided support in this area. Funding under the PACREIP has been used to engage a short term consultant to assist with the drafting of Tuvalu’s tax legislation.
o On private sector development, technical support has been extended to SMEs in FICs in preparing their business and product developments, including providing support to the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO); and
o Funding under PACREIP has enabled the PIFS, especially the Economic Governance Programme to provide and facilitate technical assistance to PACPS in the overall regional economic integration process.
ENDS.
For more information contact Mr Moses Mose, the PACREIP Manager on phone 679 331 2600 or email mosesm@forumsec.org.fj
