Pacific Trade Justice
The Pacific Network on Globalisation envisions a Pacific where peoples’ rights to be self-determining, self-reliant and self-sufficient are recognized and upheld.
Oceanic Outlook
A Debt and Development Newsletter
Oceanic Outlook aims to go beyond the headlines to provide a regular wrap up of the critical intersection of economic development, climate resilience, and financial sustainability in Pacific Island nations.
New Release: Debt Dynamics in Fiji: Impacts, Challenges and Strategies for Sustainable Economic Development
This paper, building off consultations in 2023, aims to situate the country’s public debt burden within the context of its economic performance and fiscal policies, and attempts to highlight the complexities and challenges inherent in balancing growth aspirations with fiscal responsibilities. It also tries to reveal the significance of Fiji’s public debt burden not merely as a reflection of numerical indicators but as an issue that is deeply intertwined with the nation’s socio-economic well-being, policy frameworks, and strategic priorities.
Development
Pacific-led development is intricately linked to trade and debt. Debt levels have risen dramatically from COVID 19 forcing Pacific Island Governments to reshape their economies.
Trade has been a part of our way of life for generations, however, ongoing attempts to bind Pacific Island Countries by unfair international trade laws threaten Pacific peoples, our environment and our way of life.
Free trade rules are enshrined in agreements that include the PACER-Plus, Economic Partnership Agreements, Indo-Pacific Economic Partnership, and the World Trade Organization.
Digital Trade
Digital Trade is becoming a major site of contestation between existing digital powerhouses, who are each seeking to write the rules to their advantage.
Rhetoric accompanying digital trade negotiations and reform promises the economy of the future. However it is crucial to understand that rules written for the digital economy extend into all facets of our lives. This means that people must be central to our digital futures and that any negotiations must have a broad understanding of the individual and collective implications of digital policy.
The role of trade in addressing sustainability issues is increasingly being questioned. While a number of trade agreements contain environmental and labour chapters these are often unenforceable.
The recently concluded Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies at the World Trade Organization continues attempts to solve sustainability issues through trade deals. However the failure to target those most responsible for environmental issues (like overfishing) undermines any talk of trade rules and market liberalisation being able to adequately address the challenges we currently face.