PACER-Plus — boon or bane for Pacific island states?

Small island nations in the Pacific are concerned about the future of their development progress as negotiations for the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations — better known as PACER-Plus — inch closer to completion.

Aid and trade watchdogs consulted by Devex fear the scheme will not bring equal benefits to stakeholders.

Following five years of long talks, a final agreement on PACER-Plus seems now close,  despite a recent “closed-door meeting” in Adelaide saw several Pacific island governments cry foul over some provisions that would reportedly only benefit their regional big brothers, Australia and New Zealand.

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