RELEASE: Building Digital Trade Capacity for Pacific Officials: Successful Completion of the third Cycle of the PIFS E commerce Rules Course

Suva, Fiji – The Pacific islands Forum Secretariat successfully concluded the third cycle of the Secretariat’s E commerce Rules Course for Pacific policymakers in June 2026, further strengthening regional capacity to navigate the evolving global digital trade landscape. Aligned to the Resources and Economic Development thematic area of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, the course provided officials with tools required to engage effectively in e commerce and digital trade policy development. The course commenced in March 2026, with over 200 registered participants from Forum Island Countries and Timor Leste participating in the inception session. Alumni from previous training cycles also participated at the opening of the course. Speaking to officials about the benefits of the course, Ms Rachel Sengi of Papua New Guinea said, “The course provided me with practical insights into WTO negotiations, digital trade disciplines, and the development and implementation of e commerce laws aligned with national and regional strategies, despite its comprehensive and demanding structure.” Over the course of eight weeks, officials were able to access, through a self paced struc...