September 8, 2025, 6:37 am, E-commerce Skills, E-payment Solutions, Legal and Regulatory Framework

Nadi, Fiji – 5 September 2025 – The first EU-Pacific Business Forum took place in Nadi, Fiji, on 4–5 September 2025, bringing together government officials, private sector representatives, and development partners to discuss trade and investment opportunities between the two regions.

The two-day Forum featured a range of thematic sessions and networking opportunities. Panels covered areas such as renewable energy and climate resilience, digital infrastructure, sustainable aquaculture and fisheries, port development, and tourism. Business-to-business and business-to-government meetings complemented the discussions, offering a practical space for European and Pacific companies to explore partnerships. Together, these activities highlighted both the shared priorities of the EU and the Pacific and the concrete opportunities for collaboration across key sectors of the Blue Pacific economy.

As part of the programme, Andrea Ibba, Pacific E-commerce Coordinator at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, moderated a breakout session on ‘E-commerce and Digitally Delivered Services’. The session focused on the opportunities and barriers Pacific entrepreneurs face when engaging in digital trade, and how stronger partnerships with the European Union could help address them.

Panellists included Ulisese Rimoni, Fair-trading Officer at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Samoa; Brett Baudinet, founder of SmartieApp in the Cook Islands; and Aurore Klepper, Director of French Tech Nouvelle-Calédonie. The discussion explored barriers to growth such as infrastructure gaps, regulatory delays, payment challenges, and shortages of digital skills. At the same time, panellists highlighted opportunities to improve the regional ecosystem through policy alignment, new partnerships, and targeted support for Pacific start-ups.

Key requests that emerged from the dialogue included:

• the creation of a Pacific digital trade legal partnership to strengthen payments, skills, and consumer trust;
• direct funding mechanisms for scaling up national and regional digital initiatives, without multiple intermediaries;
• the fast-tracking of regulatory frameworks to provide clearer operating environments;
• building partnerships with EU firms and service providers to access technical skills that are difficult to find in the region;
• exploring open banking policies to encourage innovation by Pacific fintechs; and
• investing in social and cultural aspects of digital entrepreneurship to help retain talent in local communities.

In closing, Ibba noted that, while Pacific entrepreneurs are making progress in digital trade, many of the challenges they face mirror the priority areas of the Pacific Regional E-commerce Strategy and Roadmap. He reminded participants that the Regional Strategy, endorsed by Forum Trade Ministers in 2021, is implemented under the Pacific E-commerce Initiative, which provides the region with a structured governance system: the Pacific E-commerce Committee, its two Sub-committees (Private Sector and Development Partners), and the Pacific E-commerce Alliance. Together, these bodies ensure coordination, accountability, and knowledge-sharing between governments, businesses, and donors.

He also underlined that the Initiative is backed by an M&E system and the Pacific E-commerce Portal, a regional public good offering data, resources, and learning materials for both the public and private sector. “Workshops and panels are valuable, but what businesses are asking for is action. The Pacific E-commerce Initiative, with its governance and knowledge platforms, is already in place. What we need are partners who are ready to contribute, whether through finance, technology, or capacity building.”

By linking business experiences to regional frameworks, the session demonstrated the value of building stronger EU-Pacific cooperation in the digital economy, in line with the region’s vision for a more inclusive and connected Blue Pacific.