Solomon Islands Plea For Pacific Solidarity
Solomon Islands delegation head Robert Sisilo has pleaded for the Pacific Islands to stick together in the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations with the European Union (EU).
“I really don’t think we will go much further on our future trading arrangements with the EU unless we stick together,” Sisilo told a meeting of senior trade officials in Nadi, Fiji yesterday.
The officials are grappling with ‘the way forward’ for a comprehensive EPA they have been negotiating with the EU since September 2004 which needs to address contentious issues such as protection of infant industries, continuing export taxes, and boosting labour mobility and additional resources.
“At this stage of the negotiations it is crucial that we stand united on these outstanding issues and resist any temptation to go it alone or in small groups in the hope that it would be possible to secure greater benefits from the EU than by remaining as a group,” said Sisilo, a former Chief Trade Negotiator for the Pacific Island Countries at the Geneva-based World Trade Organisation.
Sisilo has every reason to call for regional solidarity since the country he so ably and effectively represents, Solomon Islands, has some very serious issues to resolve with the EU. But it cannot fight these alone – such as the right to protect its infant industries and to tax exports. The EU is insisting Solomon Islands and other Pacific Island Countries give up these rights.
When they met in Brussels last month Sisilo told the EU delegation; “Giving up these rights will materially retard industrial development in our countries, particularly the larger ones like my own, Solomon Islands, who is aspiring to go down that road.
“It will be the highest price we will pay and we just simply cannot afford that. And in any case these are the same rights EU countries used before achieving economic dominance.”
The Pacific ACP (African, Caribbean, Pacific) Trade Ministers will meet on Monday and Tuesday next week to agree on “the way forward on EPA” as recommended by the senior trade officials.
But at the end of the day each country will have to decide on its own approach to an EPA in light of its own national economic, trade, political and other interests before they meet up with the EU for the final push at the end of the year.
Link: http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2008/10/21/solomon-islands-plea-for-pacific-solidarity
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