Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
file photo
Increasing global protectionism and tariff wars are putting Pacific economies including Fiji under severe pressure.
Pacific Island Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa states these external shocks threaten livelihoods, fiscal stability, and long-term growth.
He stresses the need for a united regional response based on practical cooperation.
“Regional economic integration is not an abstract goal. It is the most viable pathway to resilience. This is the central premise of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, which together we are stronger in protecting our development space and building shared prosperity.”
Tongan Trade Minister and Chair of the Pacific Trade Ministers Meeting highlights how conflicts like the US-China tariff tensions and the war in Ukraine raise shipping, food, and fuel costs that hit Pacific communities hard.
He points out rising unemployment and high debt levels as critical challenges.
The Trade Ministers meeting is urged to become a strategic forum for coordinated action linking trade and broader development.
Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
