Vanuatu's Moana Carcasses has opened the inaugural meeting of Melanesian Spearhead Group finance ministers and central bank governors, saying it will allow members to improve their links through shared values.
Mr Carcasses says it is important now to consider opportunities for strengthening macroeconomic goals and fiscal strategies to allow those Melanesian ties to grow stronger so the economies are better able to cope with shocks.
He says there need to be cooperative strategies to ensure the MSG creates a sound economic environment.
