PIFS and NIUE - REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON TRADE POLICY MAINSTREAMING
Posted on: November 03, 2017
The PIF programme began its activities in March 2017, up until the concluding phase of the project, including the Regional Workshop held in Nadi, Fiji, on 30-31 October 2017.
The programme was conducted along the two main project components: Regional Component whose primary beneficiary was the PIF secretariat and the National Component targeting the project intervention to the Niue Government.
Activities under the regional component (PIFS-based) included a review of literature and materials, including a 2016 PIFS Survey on TPF Mainstreaming, leading to the development of the Regional Manual on Trade Policy Mainstreaming. The manual draws on international and regional best practices, looks at what trade policy mainstreaming means, its different dimensions, and the tools and processes that can be used and followed to ensure that strong, coordinated, and effective trade policies are put in place across the region. As agreed with the beneficiary the Manual incorporates the survey findings, and includes guidelines for mainstreaming trade and recommendations with respect to accessing development financing for TPF implementation.
The Regional Workshop on Trade Policy Mainstreaming was successfully held in Nadi, Fiji on 30-31 October, and was attended by approximately 50 participants including around 30 PACPS delegates. The workshop marked the conclusion of the mapping exercise and present its outcomes to members, in partnership with its development partners (TRADECOM II and the Hub & Spokes programme).
The trade mainstreaming workshop also provided Forum Island Countries’ officials the opportunity to discuss the findings of the trade mainstreaming mapping exercise, including the trade mainstreaming guide.
In addition to considering the outcomes of the trade mainstreaming mapping exercise, officials also discussed mechanisms to finance implementation of trade policy frameworks (Aid for Trade) and emerging trade issues-competition policies. The comprehensive programme, and discussion papers for the regional trade mainstreaming workshop were shared with Members in the next week after the workshop.
Activities under the national component in Niue were also completed successfully. The recommendations from Niue’s TPF documents were analysed and translated into an Implementation Matrix as well as a Monitoring Framework and a reporting process.
Training sessions to build the capacity of Niue officials to implement the TPF were designed and delivered over the course of the first two weeks of the mission. In parallel, the team assisted the Economic and Planning Division (EPD) in all aspects of organising and running the inaugural meeting of the NTC, including in the areas of agenda preparation, drafting of the TPF monitoring framework and reporting mechanism, coordinating drafting of issues paper for the NTC meetings, facilitating presentations and discussions and supporting the drafting of the outcome documents.
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