http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/273052/no-ngo-contribution-to-pacer-plus-talks-'concerning' The Fiji-based NGO,
Diverse Voices and Action for Equality, or DIVA, says civil society groups not
being allowed to have a voice in the PACER-Plus negotiations this week is of
concern.
This round of
negotiations on the regional free trade agreement, being held in Port Vila in
Vanuatu, are expected to wrap up today.
The political
advisor for DIVA, Noelene Nabulivou, says the agreement will impinge on Pacific
governments to regulate fiscal, trade, aid and development policy, and will
impact the lives of Pacific people.
She says it is
worrying that the private sector has been allowed to attend the talks, but
civil society groups have not.
"The
ongoing issue is how do you ensure that the most diverse Pacific Islanders
possible, the most diverse Australians and New Zealanders have access to this
negotiating text. Because if there really was nothing for us to worry about,
then we would be in the consulting room, we would be you know, working through
the negotiating text."
Ms Nabulivou a plan
to wrap up negotiations of the regional free trade agreement PACER-Plus by the
end of this year is too rushed.
She says this year
is already a big year for the Pacific, with the sustainable development goals
and a new climate change agreement being set.
"The
post-2015 development agenda is just being finalised only in September, UNFCCC
and the climate change negotiations only end in December and that affects
everything globally, not just here in the Pacific. So why is there a need for
us to wrap this up so quickly? Whose interests does that serve? And we're not
convinced that Pacific governments themselves are convinced this is the best
way to go."
Advice passed on by Anthony Turua - Cook Islands .