The Fiji Government will be sending a delegation to Port Moresby for talks regarding the trade disagreement between both Melanesian Spearhead Group nations.
Minister for Trade, Commerce and Industry Richard Maru this afternoon confirmed that in a letter dated September 5 to Fiji’s Trade and Tourism Minister Faiyaz Siddiq Koya.
Minister Maru thanked Minister Koya for his commitment to send Fiji’s Biosecurity Authority executive chair Xavier Riyaz Khan and Fiji’s Trade Commissioner to PNG, Navitalai Tuivuniwai to Papua New Guinea to meet their PNG counterparts.
They will be holding talks with officials from National Agriculture Quarantine Inspection Authority (NAQIA), Department of Trade, Commerce and Industry and PNG Manufacturing Council.
“We assure you of our highest level of co-operation when your team comes to Port Moresby so we can resolve the issues amicably. It is in both our interest to get a speedy resolution to the trade impasse so I request that your team comes this month to get the face to face dialogue underway without any more delay,” Minister Maru said.
“We look forward to receiving your team and assure you of our continued long term commitment to a barrier free and Free Trade Area within the MSG.”
The meeting followed lapsing of an ultimatum given by PNG’s Trade Minister for Fiji to uplift the ban on importation of PNG Made Products like Ox and Palm canned meat, Trukai Rice and Paradise Biscuit into Fiji.
NAQIA managing director Joel Alu said last week that no biosecurity (animal health) or food safety (public health) are found in the products banned and biosecurity test done by Fiji in 2004 have proved that.
He added that NAQIA will continue to seek formal communication with their Fiji counterparts to provide specific technical basis for considering that Ox and Palm, including Trukai Rice and Paradise biscuits present unacceptable biosecurity of food safety threats to Fiji.