MSG trade mission
Papua New Guinea has led a trade mission to their Melanesian neighbours Solomon Islands to explore investment opportunities there. PNG companies in Solomon Islands account for about SID148 million worth of investment, which provide more than 3,500 jobs for Solomon Islanders. Solomon Islands’ minister for commerce and trade, Elijah Doro Maula said the mission would enhance the Melanesian Spearhead Group Agreement on trade and investments. Such missions look set to become even more regular among MSG countries with Fiji announcing recently that its trade with the MSG countries has gone up from less than 1% of total trade in 2000 to 8% in 2012.