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First EU-SAFE Steering Committee meeting marks progress in Pacific biosecurity and trade facilitation

The first Steering Committee of the European Union (EU) funded project Safe Agricultural Trade Facilitation for Economic Integration in the Pacific (SAFE Pacific Project) convened on 15 March in Nadi, marking a pivotal moment in the three-year collaborative efforts to fortify agricultural trade measures across Pacific small island countries.

The SAFE Pacific project spans 15 countries: the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. SAFE Pacific works with each country to address barriers to export markets, enhance value-added products and improve compliance with international standards.  The focus on strengthening economic integration in the region will positively impact improving communities' livelihoods, creating jobs, and reducing precarity.

The project is a testament to collective action in safeguarding the Pacific's rich agriculture and advancing socio-economic resilience. As threats such as invasive pests, climate change, and urbanisation loom large, collaborative initiatives like SAFE Pacific remain indispensable in securing a sustainable future for generations to come.

The first EU-SAFE Steering Committee, organised by the Pacific Community (SPC), provided a space to review the progress and future trajectory of the SAFE project. Director of the Land Resources Division at SPC, Ms Karen Mapusua underscored the crucial role of the Heads of the ten island countries attending the event, their guidance and support in driving forward the project's objectives.

“Today, the SAFE Pacific project team will seek your endorsement of achievements and commitment to executing the remaining work plan of activities. As key stakeholders, we look to your guidance and support to enable our team to effectively engage on the ground, receive timely information and expedite large programmes of work.”

Ms Mapusua also extended heartfelt appreciation to the EU for their instrumental support in providing crucial technical services and equipment to the project. She also expressed gratitude for the other implementing partners of the Pacific Regional Integration Support (PRISE) programme, namely the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

Key outcomes from the Steering Committee included the endorsements of the achievements of the SAFE Pacific project over its first three years. A key achievement was the investment in regional capacity with 993 individuals across 15 countries in biosecurity, animal health, and organic certification..

Biosecurity efforts included upgrading regional facilities with the supply of X-ray machines, incinerators, and fumigation chambers, strengthening early warning systems against plant pests, and formulating strategies to combat fruit fly issues while Paravet training enhanced local veterinary capacity, of which 50% of the Paravets are female. Support for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) included assisting businesses with organic and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) certification and upgrades to equipment, including grants for 26 MSMEs across the Pacific, enhancing their sustainable production capacities.

The Chief of Agriculture at the Marshall Islands Ministry of Natural Resources & Commerce, Mr Randon Jack, remarked that “Islands in the North Pacific Ocean must be more included going forward with the project", to which SPC reaffirmed its commitment to inclusivity and regional cooperation.

By Dominique Vinckenbosch