TRADE indicators show that more needs to be done to improve trade processes and develop the capacity of Government and private sector in the country.

This had triggered the Ministry of Industry and Trade to work with key stakeholders and the World Bank Group to focus on Fiji’s trade facilitations and needs assessments to ease the flow of trade between Fiji and its trading partners.

Not only will it ease the flow of goods and services through borders but also improve the index of cost of doing business in the country.

Key stakeholders met at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva for the last time yesterday for their inputs to function the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement.

The World Bank Group had undertaken an assessment that they were putting a final touch to yesterday before sending it to Parliament for endorsement.

“Today’s (yesterday) meeting offers one last chance for you (stakeholders) to give your inputs to function this document and finalise Fiji’s Trade Facilitations and Needs Assessments and categorisation,” said the ministry’s permanent secretary Shaheen Ali yesterday.

He said the trade facilitation of the World Trade Organization required them to categorise the measures.

Category A, he said, were measures that could be immediately implemented, whereas category B were measures that could be implemented after a specified period of time which would require making some changes in our systems and processes.

Category C measures, he added, could not be implemented unless there was a substantial change that could be made to systems and processes that required technical and financial resources.

“The Fijian Government believes that the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement can be successfully implemented through the successful consultation agreement and inclusive approach,” Mr Ali said.

This approach, he said, would ensure full participation of all key stakeholders in the economy and business.

The milestone agreement was reached at the WTO ninth ministerial conference in Bali.

He said this was good to be agreed on because it aimed at the facilitation to improve efficiency of goods traded across borders to a global reform and movement of basically border procedures.

Fiji is expected to ratify and notify of its commitment to World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) by June this year.