ABSTRACT
The theme for 39th Foreign Policy School is 'Pacific Regionalism: Past, Present, and Future'. The region has built a Pacific tradition of formal and informal dialogue. The South Pacific Commission, formed immediately after the war, was a specific expression of this. The intention was honourable–to work for health and education improvements for Pacific people. The Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) entered into force in 2002. PACER combines the Pacific themes of dialogue, information sharing and cooperation on technical matters. The aim is to share expertise on Customs, quarantine and standards, to ensure Pacific economies get a fair go as they compete with the world. The major stepping stone in the process is the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA) – a process of trade liberalisation and economic integration among the island nations of the Pacific. PICTA entered into force in April 2003, and work has begun on gradually establishing a free trade area among the Pacific states.
