Forum Countries Meet In Cook Islands To Talk "Trade In Services" Pact

Senior officials from the Forum Islands Countries (FICs) will meet in Rarotonga, Cook Islands from July 23-25 to progress negotiations of a trade in services agreement among the FICs, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat said in a release. The FICs, which excludes Australia and New Zealand, are now engaging in the second round of negotiations to determine areas of investment, temporary movement of natural persons, and other related disciplines that would encourage the FICs integrate better in the global economy. "This trade in services agreement is expected to be an extension to the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA), which is currently limited to the liberalization of trade in goods among the FICs," said Feleti Teo, Acting Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. "A well structured trade in... [read full story]