Regional trade

They will also discuss coordinating policies to strengthen regional trade integration.

The secretary general of the Pacific Islands Forum, Dame Meg Taylor, said the Pacific has a combined market of about eight million consumers.

She said the meeting provides an opportunity for a re-invigorated approach to regional integration that benefits the people of the region.

The report states that historically, PNG is the largest exporter in the region, and by some distance, selling six times more goods than the next largest exporter, Fiji.

However, The Pacific Island Trade Report 2010-2014 revealed that intra-regional trade totaled US$329.8 million (K986.244 million) with Fiji being the only economy to have developed a Pacific Island market for its goods, which account for 96% of intra-regional exports.

In 2014, PNG imports from intra-regional trade were more than four times higher than regional exports.