The Permanent Secretary for Industry and Trade, Shaheen Ali (fifth from left), with other members of the Fijian delegation in Port Moresby. Photo: MINISTRY OF INFORMATION
By MAIKA BOLATIKI
Reporting from Port Moresby
The Fiji Trade Mission to Papua New Guinea was very successful.
This was show Permanent Secretary for Industry and Trade, Saheen Ali, described the event to the Fiji Sun at the Airways Hotel in Port Moresby.
“In fact we have achieved what we have aimed for and the positive response from the private sector here in PNG was just marvellous,” Mr Ali said.
Trade mission promising results
Mr Ali said most of the investors in PNG now wanted to invest in Fiji and also PNG had provided opportunities for Fiji investors to invest in PNG.
Mr Ali thanked the two Prime Ministers, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama and Peter O’Neill, for the bold initiatives they had undertaken in their very successful bilateral meeting on Tuesday.
Cornerstone for
reforms
The outcomes of which, he said, would no doubt form the cornerstone of a long-term partnership between Fiji and PNG.
He also thanked the two Prime Ministers for essentially creating a new framework for business, trade and investment.
He hailed the visions the two Prime Ministers shared for a better trading relationship between the two countries.
Additionally, the Melanesian Spearhead Group promised new opportunities for the business community and increased prosperity for all our peoples, he stated.
He welcomed announcements by Prime Minister O’Neill to facilitate visa on arrival for Fiji travellers to PNG as it was a major step towards achieving their goal to increase investment.
“As Fijians we sincerely thank you sir for that.”
Mr Ali said within six years the Fiji and PNG bilateral trade has grown by 150 per cent from (a little over $9m) in 2006 to $23m in 2012.
The trajectory, he said, was set to continue as Fiji and PNG continued to strive to facilitate trade and investment.
Both Fiji and PNG – under the leadership the Prime Ministers- have undertaken significant reforms to improve investment incentives.
Boosts infrastructure
This would boost the quality of our infrastructure and establish better telecommunication, road and ports which are lifeblood for trade.
He said it now falls upon private sector to take up the challenge.
Mr Ali said he was optimistic about trade and investment between the two countries.