11:30am (Fiji Standard Time), Monday
16 December 2019
Nadi, Fiji: Private sector representatives including, micro-small-medium enterprises, financing institutions; and investment promotion authorities from the Pacific Region gathered in Nadi, today for the first African Caribbean Pacific (ACP) Knowledge and Information Sharing Event.
The three-day event is organised by the ACP in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS).
Mr. Viwanou Gnassounou, Assistant Secretary General of the ACP Group of States explained that when engaging the private sector, there is a need to ensure country ownership, technology and knowledge transfer and decent work for local people. “Public and private sector should be partners: the role of Government is to be a facilitator, to create the enabling environment, while investment and creation of jobs should come from the private sector”. '
Director Programme and Initiatives at PIFS, Zarak Khan, highlighted “the long-term viability of the Blue Pacific Continent calls for innovation, connectedness, and an ability to sustainably exploit our traditional areas of economic strength while looking to identify new growth sectors, particularly in light of the climate change emergency that confronts us. In these endeavours, the Private Sector remains a vital partner."
The event will provide comprehensive information on relevant intra-ACP programmes, European Investment Bank (EIB)- managed and other European Commission-related Private Sector Development facilities and programs targeting the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) regions to over eighty participants.
It will also promote peer-to-peer learning and experience sharing in the area of private sector development and ensure a high degree of interaction among ACP private sector participants through business to business (B2B) networking in the areas of finance, trade, innovation and technology transfer.
The Event will also host a Talanoa on the Blue Pacific continent and the future 2050 Strategy involving Executives from Banking Institutions, Shipping, Telecommunications, Tourism and other industries discussing innovative approaches that can be utilised to achieve the Forum Leaders vision of the Blue Pacific continent.
As envisioned by the Blue Pacific narrative, the Pacific Ocean connects us all, therefore our stewardship and accountability for the wellbeing of our ocean speaks directly to the very issues that affect the region’s economic viability, its sustainable development aspirations, health, culture and the Pacific way of life.
The knowledge sharing event will highlight the concept of the Blue Pacific by providing a space for private sector participants from Forum Island Countries to learn from the experience of other ACP regions and build their capacity to positively shape the future economic development of the region.
NOTE: The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) is an organization created by the Georgetown Agreement in 1975. The ACP Group's main goals center around the sustainable development of its Member-States and their gradual integration into the global economy; coordination of the activities of the ACP Group in the framework of the implementation of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreements; consolidation of unity and solidarity among ACP states and establishing and consolidating peace and stability in a free and democratic society. -ENDS-
