The Melanesian Spearhead Group that began meeting this week continues will receive progress reports from the various technical and sub committee meetings that begun three days ago.
Today the Ministry of Foreign Affairs permanent secretary Mrs Saipora Mataikabara said members have an opportunity to hear on the progress reports on Foreign Ministers meeting, arts and culture meeting, environment and climate change ministers meeting, Sub-Committee meetings on security, special trade and economic, legal and Institutional and Police Commissioner’s conference.
The progress report on the Police Academy indicates where MSG countries stand on the initiative of having a regional academy as the Fijian government has already allocated land just outside Suva.
An interim police academy has been set up in Nasese Suva which was opened late last year by the Papua New Guinea High Commissioner to Fiji Peter Eafeare.
“I have seen great leadership during the past few days discussions and observed many issues in the areas of administration, finance and climate change. As we advance more, we are more required to address emerging global issues,” Mrs Mataikabara said.
The PS said the following two days meeting will be a positive one and responsible committee will have a clear picture of other pressing matters in the areas of politics, trade and economic, economic and social and how collaborations between members have progressed such as MOU, Melanesian Arts Festival, Energy efficiency growth and MSG secretariat reform.
The fourth Melanesian Arts Festival (MAF) is now scheduled to take place in New Caledonia in September.
Leading into next week’s leaders’ special summit, the focus will be on enhancing trade through the removal of impediments, overcoming administrative hurdles and implementing the commitments member states have taken under the MSG Trade Agreement.
They will also consider the instrumental mechanism (the draft memorandum of understanding) for the temporary movement of skilled labour in the Melanesian region.
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