No NGO contribution to PACER-Plus talks 'concerning'
Updated at 3:00 pm today
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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."
1 comment:
these would be the same NGO's this regime told to shut up and agree to support the military backed regime or else?? Guess who they will expect to deliver programs funded by other nations. hypocrisy, but then this is Fiji - famous for loyalty that will last a full 24 hrs and then it's up for grabs by whoever will pay.
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