Shania Shayal Prasad 
Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad says visa-free travel for Fijians into New Zealand needs to happen to realize the full benefits of the trade relationship between the two countries.
He adds that this will also assist in dealing with trade imbalances and labour shortage issues.
The Minister highlighted this while speaking to over 200 members of the business community at the New Zealand-Fiji Annual Business Conference in Auckland this week.
He says New Zealand is Fiji’s fourth largest export market, absorbing over $100 million in exports annually.
The Minister says that Fiji stands as New Zealand’s 20th largest trading partner, which shows that we are underperforming.
He urged New Zealand Minister for Finance Grant Robertson to work towards full integration of both economies to help achieve this.
Prasad also proposed a target of $2 billion in two-way trade between New Zealand and Fiji by 2030.
Describing the need to create a ‘limitless scope’ in the relationship between Fiji and New Zealand, Prasad highlights that Fiji has the ambition to become a top ten trading partner of New Zealand.
Prasad says building a relationship of limitless scope means that Fijians and New Zealanders should be able to travel and work in each other’s countries without restrictions.
He says a full visa-free regime between our countries will be the start of a new chapter.
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