Fiji Participates as Observer at Future of Investment and Trade Partnership (FIT-P) Meetings in New Zealand

The Fiji delegation was led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Hon. Sakiasi Ditoka, at the Ministerial Meeting on 17 July, while the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Dr. Raijeli Taga, represented Fiji at the Senior Officials Meeting on 16 July.

Fiji attended the meetings as an observer at the invitation of the Government of New Zealand, reflecting the country’s growing role as a trusted regional partner and its commitment to advancing an open, resilient and inclusive trading system that supports sustainable economic development across the Pacific.

The Future of Investment and Trade Partnership (FIT-P) is a collaborative initiative among like-minded economies that seeks to strengthen trade and investment by making it easier for businesses to trade across borders, reducing unnecessary trade barriers, promoting digital trade and improving cooperation on emerging economic issues. For Fiji, participation in these discussions provides an opportunity to help shape modern trade approaches that create new opportunities for exporters, attract quality investment and strengthen economic resilience.

Discussions at both meetings focused on practical measures to improve the flow of trade and investment among participating economies. Key agenda items included addressing non-tariff barriers, strengthening resilient supply chains, advancing digital trade, enhancing regulatory cooperation and promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

Unlike tariffs, non-tariff barriers are administrative procedures, technical requirements or other regulatory measures that can unnecessarily delay or increase the cost of trading goods and services. Reducing these barriers helps businesses move products more efficiently across borders, lowering costs, improving competitiveness and creating greater opportunities for exporters, including Fiji’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

The FIT-P initiative comprises 16 member economies: Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Costa Rica, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Rwanda, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay.

This year’s Ministerial Meeting also marked the expansion of the Partnership from 16 to 19 participating economies with the accession of the Republic of Korea, Peru and Thailand. The growing membership reflects increasing international interest in strengthening economic cooperation through practical, forward-looking trade initiatives.

Fiji’s participation as an observer aligns with the Government’s broader objective of expanding market access, strengthening regional and international trade partnerships and ensuring that the interests of small island developing states are reflected in the development of future trade rules and economic cooperation frameworks.

The meetings also provided an opportunity for Fiji to exchange experiences with partner economies on modernising trade systems, harnessing digital technologies to facilitate cross-border commerce and improving supply chain resilience in an increasingly uncertain global trading environment.