Pacific Islands Trade & Invest (PT&I) NZ is hosting a meeting of the heads of the PT&I Network from across the globe.
Trade Commissioners and officials of the network from China, Japan, Fiji, Australia and Switzerland as well as senior officials of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat have been attending meetings at the Auckland office and other events in the city this week.
“During meetings at the Auckland office, our Trade Commissioners will brief one another on their annual work plans and take the opportunity to meet with the Chairman and the Board of Advisors of PT&I NZ,” PT&I Trade Commissioner-New Zealand Michael Greenslade said.
“This is a great opportunity for our team of Trade Commissioners to see Auckland as the hub for Pacific activity, visiting as they are during Pasifika Week,” Mr Greenslade added. The annual Pasifika Festival is regarded as the world’s largest Polynesian festival and in past years has seen over 100,000 visitors attend.
This year, PT&I NZ has worked with 21 exporters and businesses from four Pacific Island countries – Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Samoa – to exhibit their products and meet with prospective buyers at the Pasifika Festival. The contingent also includes officials and representatives of inward investment promotion agencies of these countries.
The visiting PT&I Trade Commissioners and officials will accompany Auckland Mayor Len Brown on his walkabout at the festival on Saturday morning.
While in Auckland the Trade Commissioners and officials will attend the regular Executive Committee meeting of the New Zealand Tonga Business Council and participate in the council’s annual bowling tournament. “Hopefully they will also watch Tana Umaga’s Blues defeat the Hurricanes at Eden Park,” Mr Greenslade said.