Australia's Assistant Trade Minister here to advance Australia’s trade and investment interests

Australia’s Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Mark Coulton arrives in the country today to advance Australia’s trade and investment interests during the 24th annual Fiji Australia Business Forum being held at the Fiji Marriott Resort.

Coulton says this visit to Fiji, which is his first since becoming Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment reflects the importance Australia places on its bilateral trade and investment relationship.

The Fiji Australia Business Forum is an important event for senior business and government representatives from both countries to come together and discuss new and emerging trade and investment opportunities.

His visit will coincide with an Australian trade delegation to Fiji organised by Austrade, the eighth such mission to visit Fiji in the past four years.

Coulton says during the Forum, they look forward to meeting Minister for Industry, Trade, Tourism, Lands and Mineral Resources Faiyaz Koya.

He says together they will discuss new opportunities to build on their already strong economic relationship.

Coulton says Australia is one of Fiji’s largest trade and investment partners, with two‑way trade in goods and services totaling AUS$2.05 billion in 2017.

He also says that Australia is Fiji’s largest tourism market, with Australian travellers making up 43 per cent of short‑term visitors to Fiji in 2017.

Coulton says a significant amount of Australian development support to Fiji also focuses on supporting inclusive economic growth to reduce poverty, through targeted investments in private sector development and in human development.

He says the Australian Government is committed to pursuing greater economic growth through increasing trade and investment with all their partners.

Australia’s Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment says it is also committed to stepping up its support for a more resilient Pacific through enhanced cooperation and greater integration between the Australian and Pacific economies, as identified in the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper.