Pacific economic ministers reaffirm support for regional economic integration

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CANBERRA, July 14 (Xinhua): The 11th Pacific Island Forum's economic ministers meeting has reaffirmed their responsibility to provide leadership on regional economic integration, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio reported yesterday.
At the meeting, which was held in the Pacific island country of Palau Wednesday and Thursday, the ministers endorsed an action plan for 2007.
They have agreed to ensure the Pacific Plan addresses areas pertaining to economic growth and good governance.
Areas discussed by the ministers included economic reform and growth and labor mobility.
The ministers said the economic performance of a majority of the Pacific Island Forum's members has grown on average at about 3.5 per cent per annum for the past ten years.
Meanwhile, the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat has just released its half yearly progress report on the Pacific Plan, which was adopted at 2005 Forum leaders' meeting in Papua New Guinea to set up the roadmap for strengthening and deepening regional cooperation and integration.
Edward Vrkic, the Forum's Pacific Plan executive officer, has told ABC that there has been a lot of progress in implementing the plan, especially in small island states.
"Essentially, eighteen months into the implementation of the plan, we are seeing governments look to create legislation to support some of the initiatives," he said.