Seventeen Japanese investors are in Fiji for the Pacific and Japan Regional Investment Seminar at the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat in Suva.
Permanent Secretary for Trade, Cooperatives, MSME’s and Communications Shaheen Ali says the event highlights opportunities and collaboration to drive growth across the region.
“The aim of the seminar is to continue Japan’s cooperation with Forum Island countries, and at the same time result into some tangible projects that could be kicked off as a result of this seminar”, Ali said.
Japanese Ambassador to Fiji Rokuichiro Michii says Japan and the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) share a common vision and commitment to accomplish economic growth that is environmentally sustainable and resilient which would support the improvement of social and economic well-being of the people of the Pacific.
“This vision was jointly reaffirmed by the leaders of the Pacific Island Countries and Japan at the PALM 10 held in July this year in Japan,” he said.
“Such decisive commitment by our leaders has paved the way forward for Japan’s multilateral and bilateral cooperation with the members of its Pacific family of nations, in other words, your countries,” he added.
The Trade Seminar is expected to promote regional cooperation and integration through trade, investment, tourism, growing local industries such as the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors.
“Although Japanese companies with advanced technological solutions have significant potential to engage in business activities in the Pacific, establishing a network with Pacific Island governments and private sectors can be challenging,” he said.
“This seminar is a platform to establish such networks and most importantly it provides a safe space for the private sector in the Pacific to see firsthand the Japanese technologies that are available and understand the relevance of these technologies to the different socio-economic issues faced by the respective countries in the region,” he added.