Capacity Building Support to the Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat and to Enhance the Efficiency of the Region’s Trade Facilitation Services.

The technical assistance project which kickstarted in August 2017 has successfully reached conclusion after 10 months of implementation. Our team of 6 experts worked in close collaboration with the MSG Secretariat and TradeCom II PMU to deliver the required deliverables and activities aimed at enhancing the MSG region’s Trade facilitation Services and the MSG Secretariat’s efficiency.

The Regional Validation Workshop took place on 15th March 2018 at the Melanesian Hotel, in Port Vila, Vanuatu. The workshop was attended by numerous participants including Senior Officials from the Trade, Civil Aviation and Shipping regulatory authorities, service providers and private sector representatives from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, as well as representatives from Tradecom II PMU, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisations (PIPSO), the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), and the Pacific Community from New Caledonia.

The workshop started with the Team Leader giving an overview of the relevant results accomplished. Subsequent sessions, led by our Senior Customs and Transport Expert, were discussed and validated the findings of the Operational Assessment Report on the establishment of the MSG Shipping Commission, the findings of the Air Connectivity Operational Assessment Report, and to assess proposals received for the establishment and operationalisation of an MSG Shipping Commission, with regards to the existing bottlenecks in air connectivity. Our Trade and Business Directory Expert then led the review of the online MSG Business Directory and used the opportunity to acquire further insight and comments to improve and strengthen the developed Online Directory. The Online Business Directory and a Procedural Manual as well as the Guide on Market Opportunities for MSG Businesses were also assessed during Q&As sessions.

The recommendations collected from the different sessions were used during the revision of the Air Connectivity Operational Assessment Report and the Operational Assessment Report on the establishment of the MSG Shipping Commission. Similarly, the Online MSG Business Directory and the Guide on Market Opportunities for MSG Business were also amended through the discussions. The Online MSG Business Directory can be accessed via http://msgsec.info/businessdirectory/

The project was a success and the Director General of the MSG Secretariat expressed the Secretariat’s gratitude to TradeCom II PMU and to Enabling Environments for the work accomplished and the positive impact the project outputs have already achieved.