As a party to the Pacerplus Trade Agreement (PP+TA), Vanuatu has been actively participating in workshops, consultations and training conducted by the PP+ Implementation Unit (PPIU), both at regional and national levels.

The PPIU began the year 2024 with a an “Advanced Pacific Regional Trade in Services and Project Proposal Workshop” conducted in Suva, Fiji from January 16 to 24. PP+ member countries including Vanuatu attended the workshop. Participants from Vanuatu include Michael Ligo, PPIU country coordinator and Raymond Vuti from the Vanuatu Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (VFIPA).

The workshop has 2 components; (i) Learning – that enables member countries gain a deeper understanding about what is Trading in Services, its importance in terms of contribution to growth developments, learn how e-commerce and digital trade are treated in their trade agreements, participants also learn about their service commitments in the Trade Agreement and how to draft service commitments in their schedules; (ii) finalising project proposal for PPIU funding support – member countries with draft project proposals in trade in services worked with PPIU experts to finalise these projects.

Vanuatu participants went with a few very important proposals compiled by the Vanuatu PPIU coordinator following a clinical service in trade workshop conducted in Vanuatu, December 2023. These proposals came from a wide range of sectors from different Government departments and Ministries. Amongst these proposals is the “E-One-Stop-Shop”- a government long standing policy aimed at enhancing Vanuatu’s business environment. The Vanuatu participants were optimistic that all project proposals will make it to the eligibility phase and considered for further discussion and support by the project proposal approval committee.

Speaking during the opening of the Advanced Pacific Regional Trade in Services and Project Proposal workshop, Trade Ministry permanent secretary Shaheen Ali said the growth of trade was one of the most dynamic segments of international trade and was a vital aspect of global value chains and economic development.

The services sector has been and remains the key driver for the Pacific Islands economy. While this is true for Fiji Islands given its rapid rebound driven by tourism after the covid-19 pandemic, other countries including Vanuatu may not be in the same situation even though a lot of efforts have been made to build back focusing on tourism. With the emergence of Trades in Services as the growing sector globally, this makes the workshop very invaluable – a key takeaway for participants as an alternative sector to focus on while building back efforts in traditional priority sectors continue.