Minister Ditoka Opens Pacific Regional Trade and Environment Workshop

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Hon. Sakiasi Ditoka, called for a practical and Pacific-led approach to trade and environmental sustainability that protects the region’s natural resources while supporting sustainable economic development, livelihoods and export competitiveness.

Delivering the keynote address at the Pacific Regional Trade and Environment Workshop in Suva yesterday (29/10/2026), Minister Ditoka emphasised the importance of ensuring Pacific Island countries have a meaningful role in shaping international trade and environmental rules, alongside the support needed to implement them.

Convened by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the two-day workshop builds on a mandate from Forum Trade Ministers in 2023 to develop a Pacific trade and environmental sustainability agenda, subsequently endorsed in principle by Forum Leaders. The workshop is considering a draft scoping study informed by national consultations in Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa and Solomon Islands, to identify shared regional priorities and opportunities for collective action.

Minister Ditoka noted that emerging environmental requirements in international markets, including those relating to carbon emissions, deforestation, sustainable sourcing and supply-chain traceability, present both opportunities and challenges for Pacific exporters. He stressed that transparent and proportionate measures, supported by technical assistance, finance, technology and capacity-building, are essential to help Pacific businesses meet these requirements without facing undue burdens.

He also highlighted opportunities for trade and investment to support renewable energy, sustainable fisheries, improved waste management and recycling, and responsible production. The Pacific’s indigenous knowledge, customary land-management practices and community-led environmental initiatives provide valuable foundations for advancing sustainability and strengthening the competitiveness of Pacific products.

“Our task is not merely to adapt to the changing rules of global trade, but to ensure that our own experience, knowledge and priorities help shape them,” the Minister said.

Fiji continues to engage in international efforts to advance trade and environmental sustainability through the World Trade Organization, including its Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions, and through its membership of the Coalition of Trade Ministers on Climate. Fiji’s participation in hosting the Pacific Pre-COP31 in Nadi alongside Tuvalu and Australia also reflects the region’s commitment to ensuring Pacific priorities are heard in global climate discussions ahead of COP31 in Türkiye next month.

“Climate action and trade must work together, not as competing priorities, but as complementary forces for resilience, opportunity and sustainable development,” Minister Ditoka said.

The workshop is expected to validate the draft scoping study, identify practical areas for regional cooperation and consider how development partner support can strengthen Pacific countries’ capacity to meet emerging environmental and trade requirements.  Its outcomes and the study are expected to be presented to Forum Trade Ministers in 2027 for consideration and guidance on the way forward.