Shaheen Ali, the Permanent Secretary for Trade, stated that Fiji did not endorse the PACER Plus Agreement, which was signed by Pacific Island Leaders in Tonga in 2017 alongside Australia and New Zealand. Ali explained that the primary reason for this decision was the agreement’s lack of flexibility and the insufficient benefits to counterbalance the potential risks and costs involved.
During the PACER Plus Plenary Session, Ali noted that the negotiations leading up to the agreement were initiated in 2009, following Fiji and Papua New Guinea’s initial signing of the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union in 2008, which triggered the ‘Most Favoured Nation’ (MFN) clause within PACER. Fiji officially joined the PACER Plus negotiations in 2014 due to its suspension from the Forum.
Ali emphasized Fiji’s constructive participation in the negotiations, asserting that the resulting PACER Plus agreement includes several flexibilities that may not have been present without Fiji’s involvement.
Moreover, the Ministry of Trade announced that Professor Chris Noonan from the University of Auckland will spearhead Fiji’s efforts to re-enter PACER Plus. Ali highlighted that Prof Noonan played a crucial role in the Fiji team during negotiations for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), a trade agreement that also encompasses Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.