Pacific island officials and experts met in Suva, Fiji, this week to boost their ability to measure and respond to the fast-growing opportunities and risks of digital trade.
The workshop, attended by banking and statistics specialists from 10 Pacific countries — Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, Kiribati, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands — was hosted by UN Trade and Development in partnership with the Pacific Community. Sessions focused on practical tools and guidance for government statisticians and economic officials to capture digital transactions, with topics including digital trade definitions and frameworks, measurement methodologies, digital intermediation platforms, and lessons from other regions.
Why measurement matters
Participants underscored that accurate, comparable data on digital trade is essential for evidence-based policy: it helps governments design inclusive trade and economic strategies, tailor support for MSMEs, and manage new regulatory and customs challenges created by cross-border e-commerce. For Pacific nations — which face geographic isolation but growing digital potential — better measurement can reveal where investment is needed and how benefits are reaching women, rural communities and small businesses.
Context from recent regional work
The workshop complements recent regional diagnostics and capacity-building efforts. UNCTAD’s Digital Economy Report: Pacific Edition 2024 highlighted persistent digital skills gaps across the region — for example, only about 32 percent of people in Fiji were estimated to have basic ICT skills — and stressed the need for ongoing investment in training and tailored support for entrepreneurs. Other recent initiatives and workshops have focused on digital transformation strategy, cybersecurity, and customs readiness for the surge in small-value e-commerce consignments, pointing to a coordinated push across institutions to close capability gaps.
Progress and remaining challenges
Infrastructure improvements and greater connectivity are improving the prospects for meaningful digital trade, with public and private projects (including new submarine cable links) increasing resilience and coverage. Yet gaps remain in skills, data collection capacity, and regulatory frameworks — areas that accurate statistics and targeted capacity building can help address.
Practical takeaways and recommendations
– Strengthen national statistical systems to capture digital transactions and use standard definitions so data are comparable across the region.
– Invest in digital skills training that targets women, rural populations and small businesses to ensure inclusive participation.
– Align measurement efforts with trade, customs and regulatory reforms so data inform practical policy (for example, adaptive revenue approaches for low-value imports).
– Foster regional collaboration to share methodologies, technical assistance and lessons learned from successful pilots.
Short summary
A regional workshop in Suva brought statisticians and financial experts from 10 Pacific island countries together to develop better ways to measure digital trade. The training aimed to give governments the tools needed to build evidence-based policies that unlock the region’s digital potential while addressing skills, infrastructure and customs challenges highlighted in recent regional reports.
Hopeful note
With coordinated capacity-building, improving connectivity and growing regional initiatives, the Pacific has a practical pathway to turn digital trade data into policies that expand opportunities for businesses and communities across the islands. Continued collaboration between statistical agencies, trade and customs authorities, and development partners can accelerate inclusive digital growth.
Additional comment for editors
Consider following up this story with interviews from a regional statistician and an MSME owner on how better measurement could change policy or business decisions locally. A sidebar or data explainer on what constitutes “digital trade” and examples of digital intermediation platforms in the Pacific would help readers understand the practical implications.
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