PACER Plus Implementation Unit Advocates for International Standards at the ISO Annual Meeting
BRISBANE, Australia – Mr. Roy Lagolago, Head of the PACER Plus Implementation Unit (PPIU), was among the participants at the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) Annual Meeting, held from 18-22 September 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. The event, hosted by Standards Australia, brought together global experts and leaders to discuss collaboration, innovation, and sustainable solutions for addressing pressing global challenges. It also explored the role of International Standards in achieving the 2030 Global Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals. Mr. Roy Lagolago makes a presentation at the ISO Annual Meeting in Brisbane, Australia. Mr. Lagolago’s presence at the ISO Annual Meeting was marked by a talanoa focused on how the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus (PACER Plus) could support Pacific parties in becoming more actively engaged with ISO standards and understanding their significance. PACER Plus, a unique development-based trade agreement between Australia, New Zealand and eight Pacific countries, aims to foster economic growth, trade liberalisation, and sustainable development among its parties. Mr. Lagolago’s discussion with interested delegates from the Pacific explored how PACER Plus could contribute to their ambitions to play a more significant role in ISO’s standardisation efforts. “We believe that embracing international standards is key to achieving economic growth, sustainability, and prosperity in the Pacific,” said Mr. Lagolago. “PACER Plus is committed to helping our member nations better understand and engage with ISO standards to enhance the quality of products and services they offer while facilitating trade with the broader international community.” The Pacific delegation’s attendance at the ISO Annual Meeting was made possible through the support of Standards Australia and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Their contributions enabled officials from the Pacific to participate actively in discussions and share their perspectives on standards development. The United Kingdom is also committing AU$5.8 million to bolster the adoption of standards within Commonwealth countries. This investment aims to dismantle trade barriers, foster economic resilience, diminish reliance on aid, and pave the way for Pacific countries and other Commonwealth members to seize new opportunities for international businesses. Regional officials discuss how PACER Plus can support Pacific countries in becoming more actively engaged with ISO standards and understanding their significance. Hon. Crossley Tatui, Niue’s Minister for Finance and Infrastructure and the current chair of the PACER Plus Ministers Meeting, emphasized the significance of PACER Plus at both national and regional levels, highlighting its potential to deliver tangible benefits to Pacific countries. Ms. Leata Alaimoana, Queensland Trade Commissioner for the Pacific, discussed the close ties between the Australian state of Queensland and the Pacific, underscoring the opportunities for greater engagement with PACER Plus. Dr. Ulrich Diekmann, Regional Quality Infrastructure Coordination with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, provided valuable insights into the Pacific’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its quality infrastructure, aligning with international standards to improve competitiveness and trade capabilities. The ISO Annual Meeting provided a vital platform for fostering global partnerships and advancing the adoption of international standards. The participation of Mr. Lagolago in facilitating discussions on PACER Plus and its connection to ISO standards underscored the Agreement’s commitment to quality, sustainability, and international collaboration. -END- More articles like this one
PACER Plus SPS and TBT Workshop Empowers Solomon Islands to Foster Trade Excellence
HONIARA, Solomon Islands – The Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus (PACER Plus) successfully concluded its SPS and TBT Workshop in Honiara, Solomon Islands, held from 23-24 May. The workshop was specifically designed to create awareness and promote understanding of the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) obligations and requirements outlined in the PACER Plus Agreement. The two-day workshop brought together key stakeholders from the government, private sector, and non-governmental organisations in Solomon Islands. The event ensured that relevant government officials, importers, exporters, farmers, women groups, youth, community groups, and all those involved in trade are well-informed and updated on SPS and TBT measures, as well as their implementation when engaging in trade activities with other parties of PACER Plus. “The workshop has been an eye-opener for many of us,” said Ms Claudine Watoto (left), owner of Island Agro Fresh, shaking hands with Mr Alipate Tavo, PPIU Trade and Investment Adviser at the PACER Plus SPS and TBT Awareness Workshop in Honiara, Solomon Islands. “This workshop and the topics covered are very important, especially for us who want to export our local products. It’s been an eye-opener for many of us. Thank you to the PACER Plus Implementation Unit for facilitating this. It has allowed us to think on what needs to be improved, and identify where the gaps are,” said Ms Claudine Watoto, owner of Island Agro Fresh, a Solomon Island producer of flour from crops such as potato, banana, and cassava. The Government of Solomon Islands expressed its gratitude to all the participants and to the PACER Plus Implementation Unit for their dedication and contribution to the success of the workshop. “Historically, we have been facing a great deal of challenges in getting our local unique products into the bigger markets, such as Australia and New Zealand. Under PACER Plus, there is a Development Economic Cooperation Work Programme that also provides support to responsible agencies to assist them in creating an enabling environment for private sectors,” said Mrs Jenny Barile, Deputy Director of External Trade. “Thank you to PPIU for conducting this awareness workshop, and for the continuous support towards the implementation of PACER Plus in Solomon Islands. PACER Plus will help our country to become more active partners in, and benefit from, regional and global trade and, in turn, create new opportunities for economic growth, jobs, and raising living standards.” -END- More articles like this one
Bridging the Gender Gap in Agriculture
How Electronic Phytosanitary is Empowering Women in the Pacific The electronic phytosanitary certification system, also known as ePhyto, is a technological innovation that is making a significant contribution to gender equality in trade. This digital platform facilitates the certification of plant and food products by eliminating physical paperwork, reducing processing time, and enabling real-time tracking of certification status. One of the critical ways in which ePhyto supports gender equality is by enabling women to participate more fully in international trade. In many countries, women are traditionally excluded from trade-related activities due to cultural and social barriers. However, ePhyto has made it easier for Pacific women to access and participate in the export market by simplifying the certification process and making it more accessible. ePhyto removes the need for Pacific women to travel to and attend to government offices to complete phytosanitary paperwork each time they export/import. This system reduces time burdens, eliminates need to travel, and allows for online activities to be done at a time convenient to women. This system substantially supports Pacific women in engaging fully in trade. The Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus (PACER Plus) has been a crucial driver of ePhyto’s implementation in the Pacific region. PACER Plus is a unique trade agreement that aims to promote sustainable economic development in the Pacific by improving access to international markets. By supporting the adoption of ePhyto, PACER Plus is assisting member parties to increase their competitiveness in international trade while also promoting gender equality. Since September 2022, PACER Plus Implementation Unit provided training to a total of 123 biosecurity officials and exporters from seven member parties: Cook Islands, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Tuvalu. However, plans to involve stakeholders in Vanuatu, the latest Pacific country to ratify the agreement, have been delayed due to Cyclone Judy and Cyclone Kevin that hit the country this month. Out of all the participants who received training, 42 per cent are women. May Schaaf Vi, Manager Operations for Hihifo Foods, attended the PACER Plus ePhyto Training in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. “In my past experiences, the manual phyto certification generally takes a day or two to process. With ePhyto, processing the certificates will almost be instant which would assist us greatly in exporting and importing goods,” said Ms. Vi. ePhyto is a technological innovation that is having a significant impact on promoting gender equality in the Pacific. By simplifying the certification process and eliminating gender-based barriers to trade, ePhyto is enabling more Pacific women to participate in international trade and access new economic opportunities. More articles like this one
Tongan farmers receive support from PACER Plus
The PACER Plus Implementation Unit (PPIU) handed over 1,000 harvesting crates to Tonga’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests (MAFF) on Wednesday, 8 February. These harvesting crates will assist Tongan farmers by minimizing post-harvest damage and loss of produce harvested for export. “I’m happy to see the PACER Plus Implementation Unit team meeting the farmers and supporting the Tongan agricultural sector. I want to continue to grow the volume of my produce and this support will assist me and other farmers in doing that. I look forward to continued talanoa with the Implementation Unit on how to help me grow my business,” said Tevita Tapaivalu, one of many Tongan farmers present at the handover. MAFF CEO, Dr Viliami Manu, raised the importance of supporting farmers as the agricultural industry in the island kingdom has been severely impacted by COVID-19 as well as the volcanic eruption and tsunami in 2022. “This support comes at a critical time for our farmers. As a party to the PACER Plus agreement, Tonga is pleased to receive these benefits that will support our agricultural sector,” said Dr Manu. PACER Plus is a regional development-centered trade and investment agreement aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. The Agreement is designed to support Pacific Island countries to stimulate economic growth by becoming more active partners in, and benefit from, regional and global trade. Ten countries are currently parties to the Agreement: Australia, Cook Islands, Kiribati, New Zealand, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. -ENDS- Image Caption: Hon. Lord Fohe (right), Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Forests in Tonga receives 1,000 harvest bins from Roy Lagolago, Head of the PACER Plus Implementation Unit. More articles like this one
PACER Plus supports Samoan farmers increase exports with harvesting bins
The PACER Plus Implementation Unit (PPIU) today handed over 180 harvesting bins to Samoa’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. The harvesting bins will assist Samoan farmers by minimizing post-harvest damage and loss of produce harvested for export. Loss and damage of harvested commodities at the farm and during transportation to cleaning and processing facilities is one of the major challenges and prevailing issues for local produce prepared for export. This is mainly due to lack of appropriate containers or bins used to transport produce from farm to processing and cleaning facilities. “We’re here to support Samoa and other PACER Plus parties in minimizing post-harvest damage and loss. This will result in increasing exportable volume of local produce which would support our families and communities as well as stimulate business activity in Samoa,” said Mr. Roy Lagolago, Head of the PPIU. This support is part the PPIU’s Sanitary and Phytosanitary-related technical assistance and capacity building activities to PACER Plus Parties. Samoa’s Associate Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Maiava Fuimaono Tito Asafo expressed his gratitude to PPIU. “Agriculture is a crucial industry in Samoa. We are, therefore, grateful for the commitment from partners such as the PACER Plus Implementation Unit towards the development of the agriculture sector and the support of our farmers,” said Mr. Asafo. PACER Plus is a regional development-centered trade and investment agreement aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. The Agreement is designed to support Pacific Island countries to stimulate economic growth by becoming more active partners in, and benefit from, regional and global trade. Nine countries are currently parties to the Agreement: Australia, Cook Islands, Kiribati, New Zealand, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Tuvalu. -END- Image Caption: Roy Lagolago (left), Head of the PACER Plus Implementation Unit, hands over 180 harvest bins to Hon. Maiava Fuimaono Tito Asafo, Samoa’s Associate Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries on Monday 25, July 2022. More articles like this one