Samoa was among the Pacific nations that have agreed on a renewed push to strengthen trade, investment, and labour mobility across the region under the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus or PACER Plus.

Ministers and ministerial representatives from Australia, Cook Islands, Kiribati, New Zealand, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu came together for the 2025 PACER Plus Ministerial Meeting, chaired by Peter Shanel Agovaka, Solomon Islands Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade.

A key highlight from the meeting was the joint announcement by Australia and New Zealand of renewed funding for the next five-year cycle of the DEC Work Programme – AU$23.2 million from Australia and NZ$10 million from New Zealand. Ministers welcomed this commitment and proceeded to sign the Phase II Implementing Arrangement for Development and Economic Cooperation (2025-2030).

Opening the meeting in Honiara, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele said PACER Plus was grounded in a rules-based system.

“The agreement addresses the unique and diverse economic vulnerabilities of Pacific small island developing states and offers a structured path for our people to integrate and adapt to the global trading system. It remains an important framework to grow regional peace, progress and prosperity in the region,” said Manele.

Ministers reviewed the first five years of the Development and Economic Cooperation (DEC) Work Programme and acknowledged how the work programme had supported policy reforms and institutional capacity building, while also responding to specific national needs, especially for small island economies facing ongoing economic and climate pressures.

Looking ahead, the ministers endorsed the strategic priorities for the next phase of the DEC Work Programme (2025-2030). The new priorities will focus on legislation and policy reform, public sector capacity building, private sector development, and automation and data systems.

The next phase aims to create a more predictable trading environment, help businesses become more competitive, and ensure Pacific countries have the tools they need to meet their PACER Plus commitments.

The ministers also acknowledged the central role played by the PACER Plus Implementation Unit (PPIU) in driving the significant progress achieved under the DEC Work Programme 2020-2025. They understood the importance of the PPIU as a standalone, member-driven regional entity, one that supports Parties to build economic resilience, deepen cooperation, and advance sustainable development across the Pacific.

Ministers also reaffirmed the Pacific Labour Mobility Annual Meeting as the region’s main forum for advancing labour mobility issues.