29 November 2010: The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) convened a meeting of transport officials in Suva, Fiji, from 23-24 November, to discuss a draft Framework for Action on Transport Services. According to SPC, the meeting reviewed and gathered consensus on the overall content and structure of the draft transport framework, and Pacific transport officials expressed support for the high-level policy document, which is expected to enhance developments in transport infrastructure and services in the Pacific.

SPC plans to incorporate participants’ comments into the draft and to issue a second draft in early December. Comments on the second draft will be accepted until mid-January 2011, and SPC plans to circulate the final draft in mid-March 2011. The draft is expected to be used by Pacific island country and territory transport officials to brief their respective ministers prior to the Pacific Joint Ministerial on Energy, Transport, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in April 2011.

The officials also agreed to form a Transport Oversight Group, which will be responsible for developing a framework implementation plan and for monitoring progress on implementation of the framework. The group is expected to hold its first meeting in January 2011. [SPC Press Release]