Officials from the fourteen Pacific Island Forum countries meet in Nadi in Fiji over the next three days for the third round of negotiations of a trade in services agreement.
It is part of the region's vision of broadening the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement, or PICTA, which currently covers trade in goods only, to also include trade in services.
The Secretary General of the Forum, Tuiiloma Neroni Slade, says creating an enabling environment for trade in services is crucial for the economic development of the Pacific.
He says the liberalisation of services, if managed properly, can bring efficiency, lower costs and encourage investment that will create employment.
But Tuiloma says while the agreement will hopefully be finalised later this year, some countries are less prepared than others for the change.
He says the need for the members to invest in regulatory reforms as part of their liberalization initiatives is vital.
