MSG Trade and Economic Meetings in Fiji

​The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) will be undertaking a series of key trade meetings this week (24-28 August, 2015), that will culminate with the 3rd MSG Trade Ministers Meeting on Monday 31st August.

The meetings are being held at the Tanoa International Hotel, Nadi, Fiji. 

Senior officials and representatives from Fiji, PNG, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu will be in attendance as part of talks towards a new and more comprehensive trade agreement - MSGTA3 – that will now include Trade in Services, and new chapters such as Labour Mobility, Investment, and Telecommunications. 

MSG Leaders have directed that a draft legal text of the trade agreement must be ready by November 2015.

The meetings include: 

i)Technical Working Group Negotiations Meeting on MSGTA3 Trade in Goods and Trade in Services scheduled for 24-26 August 2015;  

The Technical Working Group Negotiations meeting on Goods and Services will review and negotiate the progressively revised legal texts of the draft MSG Trade Agreement referred to a working draft –MSGTA3.

ii)3rd Heads of Investment Promotion Agencies and Industry Officials Meeting scheduled for 27 August 2015.

The Heads of Investment Promotion Agencies & Industries Officials Meeting (HIPA+IOM) focuses on private sector policy issues in MSG countries. This Meeting will address the Investment and Private Sector Development (PSD) priorities of the MSG Secretariat in sync with the goals of the Pacific Integration Trade Assistance Project (PITAP)

iii)Trade and Economic Officials Meeting (TEOM) scheduled for 28 August 2015. 

Trade and Economic officials will discuss the report of the Technical Working Group meetings on Goods and Services and consider outcomes and recommendations arising from the Technical Working Group Meetings on the MSGTA3. 

iv)Trade Ministers Meeting scheduled for 31 August 2015.

The TMM will consider the outcomes and recommendations emanating from the TEOM pertaining to the state of play on the draft MSGTA3 negotiations. The TMM’s guidance and mandates will be required to further progress the remaining provisions in the draft legal text for completion by November 2015.

The meetings are being supported and funded by MSG members and the European Union under the Pacific Integration Technical Assistance Project (PITAP).