Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
Pacific Islands Secretariat General Secretary Baron Waqa. [Photo Credit: PIFS/ Facebook]
Fiji and the Pacific Island region is looking forward to extending and capturing significant trade relations with the European Union.
Speaking at the Pacific Trade Ministers Meeting in Suva this afternoon, Pacific Islands Secretariat General Secretary Baron Waqa states that the key outcome of this meeting is to strengthened sustainable trade with the EU
He says accelerating trade facilitation can bring the region closer to equitable regional development.
The PIFS GS says that the Pacific has immense maritime trade capacity.
“While we may face logistical and communications challenges, given our remoteness from key trading areas, our collective exclusive economic zones cover over 30 million square kilometres, amounting to 28% of the world’s total EEZs. We may lack large land-based resources, but our vast ocean holds immense wealth.”
Waqa says that even though we may lack large land-based resources, but we have vast oceans that holds immense wealth.
He adds that the Pacific Ocean demands responsible stewardship now more than ever before. And the Pacific must gather to consider critical trade and sustainable development issues and he urged all the pacific ministers to lead with vision and purpose.
In 2024, EU and the Pacific Island countries exchanged goods for a total value of $3.8 billion euro which amounts to almost $9.99 billion.
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