08 October 2013 (Suva, Fiji) – Following a successful first regional trade expo in the Pacific by Pacific businesses in 2012, the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding for continued support for the 2014 expo.
The regional trade event will be held at the Vodafone Arena in Suva, Fiji from 2-4 April 2014, with the theme ‘Exporting for Growth, It’s everyone’s business’.
Trade Pasifika 2014 will showcase Pacific agriculture, aquaculture and tourism products from 17 Pacific Island countries.
At the signing ceremony held today in Suva, Ambassador of Trade Pasifika 2014 and Chair of the Trade Pasifika Steering Committee, Kaliopate Tavola, said “Trade Pasifika 2014 Steering Committee is most grateful to UNDP Pacific Centre, particularly to Dr. Asif Chida, for the initial conceptualization of Trade Pasifika way back in late 2011. UNDP was not only instrumental in the conceptualization, but also allocated much needed resources thus enabling the transformation of an idea to reality. The additional idea of support for Women in Business also originated from UNDP Pacific Centre”.
Peter Batchelor, UNDP Pacific Centre Manager, said as a founding member of Trade Pasifika, UNDP is proud to continue to support the regional trade expo.
“UNDP’s support to Trade Pasifika is aligned to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Acceleration Framework Plan to engage private sector for creating business and employment opportunities.
“The overall vision of UNDP’s work with private sector is to contribute to empowering lives and building resilient nations, and focus on how the private sector and markets can contribute to economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable human development. To achieve this UNDP advocates inclusive growth of business and promotes inclusive market development by building relationships, partnerships and new alliances and coalitions at country, regional and global levels.”
“The Trade Pasifika 2014 Steering Committee hopes for continued collaboration with UNDP Pacific Centre in the future,” Tavola said. He added that regional private sector organizations and individual operators in the Pacific are fortunate for the very strong support from this United Nations agency.
UNDP and the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO) are founding members of Trade Pasifika. Trade Pasifika is envisaged as providing an excellent opportunity for the region’s businesses including small and medium enterprises to participate and promote their products and services to potential customers within and outside the region.
PRESS RELEASE