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Pacific Islands / Pacific Forum

Indonesia stresses on active, fair participation of all IPEF partners
18-Mar-2024 Antara News
Indonesia emphasized active and fair participation of all Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) partner countries in implementing the cooperation framework, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said.
US-led Indo-Pacific deal on supply chain resilience takes effect
26-Feb-2024 Japan Today
The IPEF supply chain agreement has recently come into effect, aiming to enhance economic collaboration among member countries. The agreement focuses on strengthening supply chain resilience, identifying key sectors, and establishing an emergency communications channel to address disruptions.
IPEF supply chain deal to take effect Feb. 24
1-Feb-2024 Nippon.com
The US Commerce Department said Wednesday that an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity agreement on supply chains will come into effect Feb. 24.
EU-ACP "Samoa" agreement text (Jul 2023)
7-Dec-2023 UNCTAD
IPEF progress boosts diversified investment, supply chains and economic distribution
16-Nov-2023 The Jakarta Post
During the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Ministerial Meeting (IPEF-MM) on Nov. 14, all IPEF member countries agreed to announce the substantive completion of Pillars III (Clean Economy) and IV (Fair Economy). Pillar II (Supply Chains) had already been completed at the Second Ministerial Level Meeting in Detroit, the United States.
PHL picks negotiators for trade pillar of IPEF accord
13-Nov-2023 Business Mirror
The Philippines has chosen its negotiators to champion the country’s interests under the trade pillar of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).
US suspends Indo-Pacific talks on key aspects of digital trade -lawmakers
8-Nov-2023 Reuters
The Biden administration has suspended talks on some key digital trade aspects of its Indo-Pacific Economic Framework initiative, Democratic lawmakers said on Tuesday as negotiators from 14 countries race to finish some agreements ahead of a major Pacific Rim summit next week.
Unravel neoliberal trade: a failed solution to food sovereignty
31-Aug-2023 APWLD
APWLD produces the briefing paper to unpack the understanding of CSOs and movements on how neoliberal trade and investment agreements, and how the current system are undermining food sovereignty and women’s human rights while cementing corporate power.
Emerging issues in the IPEF trade negotiations: A critical summary
28-Feb-2023 Ibon International
The US is trying to present IPEF as a rethinking of the aggressive trade liberalisation model it championed for the last four decades. At its core, however, IPEF appears to be mainly a geopolitical tool for the US to maintain its hegemony in the Asia-Pacific.
Asia-Pacific women groups gather in Bangkok and discuss digital trade
4-Oct-2022 bilaterals.org
Women in the Asia and Pacific discussed FTAs and agricultural digitalisation impacting women.
’Digital sovereignty must be at core of Pacific e-commerce strategy’
8-Jul-2022 Voxy
The Pacific regional e-commerce strategy needs to be revised as it denies Pacific Island Countries their sovereign right to manage their digital domains, including data, a new report has found.
China to continue pushing for Pacific Island nations to sign regional trade and security agreement
3-Jun-2022 ABC
China’s government says it remains confident it can strike a sweeping trade and security agreement with 10 Pacific Island states despite being forced to shelve its proposed agreement.
Pacific nations walk away from trade and security deal with China as Australia aims to ’build stronger family’
3-Jun-2022 ABC News
Pacific Island countries have agreed not to sign a region-wide trade and security deal with China after a high-level meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his counterparts from 10 Pacific nations in Fiji.
China offers South Pacific nations security, free trade agreements
31-May-2022 France24
China has put forward plans to dramatically expand security and economic cooperation with South Pacific nations, in what one regional leader called a thinly veiled effort to lock them into "Beijing’s orbit"
MSG to pursue ratification of Melanesian Free Trade Agreement
21-Jan-2021 Fiji Times
The Melanesian Free Trade Agreement is a comprehensive and progressive free trade agreement that aims to achieve regional integration of economies in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
PACER Plus: the case against
25-Nov-2020 Devpolicy Blog
For the Pacific Island Countries, PACER Plus represents a squandered opportunity to address the real development needs of the region and a waste of time and significant resources.
Is the Pacific’s new trade deal an early Xmas gift or a double edged sword?
2-Nov-2020 RNZ
There are mixed reactions in the Pacific to a new free trade deal which comes into force in December.
Pacific trade and development agreement PACER Plus to enter into force
15-Oct-2020 Devdiscourse
Pacific regional trade and development agreement PACER Plus will enter into force in 60 days now that the Cook Islands has become the eightth country to ratify it.
Barrick to appeal lost challenge over PNG mining rights
1-Sep-2020 Reuters
Barrick Gold Corp has lost a court challenge in Papua New Guinea over rights to a highlands gold mine and intends to appeal to the country’s Supreme Court.
Niue ratifies regional PACER Plus trade agreement
3-Jul-2020 RNZ
Niue has ratified the regional trade agreement PACER Plus, pushing it closer to implementation.