Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Manoa Kamikamica says Fiji and Papua have always led from the front in shaping Pacific trade.
He told those present at the recent Fiji-PNG Business Investment Forum a key milestone in this journey was the negotiation of the Melanesian Free Trade Agreement (MFTA).
“A very forward-looking agreement that was designed by Melanesians, for Melanesians,” he said.
“The MFTA offers us the opportunity to remove barriers to trade, expand market access, and create a truly integrated Melanesian market that will benefit our businesses, our farmers, and our workers.
“It is an agreement that speaks to the heart of our shared vision: to empower Melanesian enterprises to trade more easily with each other, to reduce the cost of doing business, and to stimulate investment across our sub-region.
“For Fiji and PNG, the benefits are clear – freer trade in goods and services, smoother movement of investments, and greater opportunities for MSMEs to find new markets.
“But the real potential lies in what we can achieve together, once all our Melanesian family is part of this agreement.”
Mr Kamikamica emphasised if Papua New Guinea, being the largest economy in Melanesia, signs and ratifies the MFTA, it would be a game changer.
“Fiji–PNG trade and investment can grow even further – we can scale up our supply chains, diversify the products we trade, and strengthen our position as leaders of Pacific regionalism.”