Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad says visa-free travel into New Zealand needs to happen so Fijians can realise the full benefits of the trade relationship between the two countries.
He said visa-free travel was an essential part of dealing with trade imbalances and labour shortage issues.
“New Zealand is Fiji’s 4th largest export market absorbing over F$100million of exports annually. Fiji stands as New Zealand’s 20th largest trading partner absorbing approximately US$350 of your exports – I think it is fair to say we are underperforming,” Mr Prasad told the business community at the New Zealand-Fiji Annual Business Conference in Auckland last week.
Mr Prasad said Fiji had the ambition to become a top ten partner in trade for New Zealand.
“Building a relationship of limitless scope means that Fijians and New Zealanders should be able to travel and work in each other’s countries without restrictions. A full visa-free regime between our countries will be the start of a new chapter.”
