Strengthening Pacific Intra-Regional and International Trade project (SPIRIT)
Signing of Host Agreement between PIFS and the MSG and Government of the Kingdom of Tonga
To boost and increase intra-regional and international trade of Pacific ACP Countries
The Strengthening Pacific Intra-Regional and International Trade project (SPIRIT), worth €5.75m, is funded by the European Union’s 11th ‘Pacific Regional Integration Support (PRISE) programme, signed on 23 January 2020. The SPIRIT project supports capacity building initiatives for regional aid for trade implementation by strengthening the Pacific countries’ trade and investment-related institutions and human capacity development in the private sector. SPIRIT also supports and strengthens the Pacific countries’ capacity to implement their contractual obligations under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) through the provision of technical assistance. Overall, the SPIRIT project strengthens the institutional and human capacities of Pacific Island countries to transition from planning to the implementation phase under the Pacific’s Aid-for-Trade strategy 2020-2025 and will develop a trade statistical monitoring framework through a Regional Trade Statistics Database. The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) will manage and implement SPIRIT over a four-year period.
The Strengthening Pacific Intra-Regional and International Trade [SPIRIT] aligns to the overall PRISE objectives and to the Framework for Pacific Regionalism and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, whilst acknowledging the need for urgent, immediate actions on the threats and challenges of climate change and COVID-19 pandemic facing the Blue Pacific to realise the health and wellbeing of Pacific people to secure a bright and prosperous future. The Pacific Islands Forum Leaders agreed in 2019 that the Strategy must ensure social, cultural, environmental and economic integrity, sovereignty and security in order to protect people, place and prospects of the Blue Pacific Narrative.
Media:
Edition 1 – Pacific Trade Newsletter
For more information, please email Mr Joeli Bili on joelif@forumsec.org