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Free trade agreements - being negotiated now between the Pacific Island Forum and the European Union - will significantly affect the lives of Pacific Islanders. Photo: Anne Lockely/OxfamAUS “These trade agreements will have major implications for employment, livelihoods and quality of life in these countries.”
Jeff Atkinson, Oxfam Australia Advocacy Co-ordinatorPacific free trade talks
Oxfam Australia and Oxfam New Zealand have joined forces to raise awareness about the implications of free trade agreements on South Pacific countries.
These agreements – being negotiated now between the Pacific Island Forum (representing South Pacific governments) and the European Union – will significantly affect the lives of Pacific Islanders and set a precedent for subsequent negotiations with Australia and New Zealand.
"Australia and New Zealand – as the South Pacific’s most important import and export markets – have an obligation to ensure their trade and investments genuinely benefit South Pacific people," says Oxfam Australia's Advocacy Co-ordinator, Jeff Atkinson.
“These trade agreements will have major implications for employment, livelihoods and quality of life in these countries.
“For example, many island governments depend heavily on import duties to fund services such as education and health. But liberalisation of trade means doing away with such duties so that imports can come in unhindered – resulting in a serious loss of government revenue which is not easily replaced.
It is critical that citizens of South Pacific nations are informed about these potential outcomes so that they can actively participate in the discussions and be part of a decision-making process that will have significant consequences for their lives. To this end, we are researching the implications of these agreements on people's livelihoods and funding a series of workshops for civil society groups in several island countries.
"These free trade negotiations should not take place behind closed doors and without the active engagement of civil society," says Jeff. "That’s why we are fostering a network of informed people in the Pacific who can talk with their governments and ensure that any trade agreements made have maximum benefit and minimum negative impact for the poor and vulnerable."