11 February 2026
The Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Independent Advisory Board convened its Annual Board Meeting in Auckland, New Zealand on 11 February 2026, reaffirming its commitment to strong governance, accountability, and strategic leadership across the PTI Network.
The meeting was chaired by the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Baron Divavesi Waqa, who also formally welcomed two new members to the Independent Advisory Board; Bethany Bessi Graham and Julienne LekaMaliaki.
The Board’s principal mandate is to provide independent oversight of Pacific Trade Invest, enhance accountability, and strengthen the operational effectiveness of the Network. Operating in an advisory capacity to the Secretary General and Forum Officials Committee (FOC), the Board ensures that PTI Network’s activities and operations are conducted in a prudent, ethical, and strategically aligned manner.
During the meeting, members received comprehensive updates on the programmes and activities of the PTI Network. The Board noted that PTI Network has continued to evolve into a cornerstone of the Pacific’s economic architecture, empowering exporters, investors, and enterprises through robust, evidence-based market intelligence and targeted commercial facilitation.
“Through Pacific Trade Invest, Forum Leaders have established a trusted mechanism to advance the economic pillars of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. PTI strengthens regional cooperation, mobilises investment, and ensures Pacific economies engage global markets on our own terms and in line with our shared development priorities,” said Secretary General Waqa.
These achievements have been underpinned by enduring partnerships with national trade and investment promotion agencies, government ministries, tourism authorities, multilateral development partners, international donors, and a broad community of regional stakeholders.
Pacific Trade Invest operates offices in Australia, China, Europe, and New Zealand, alongside a partner office delivering similar services in Japan. As the trade and investment promotion arm of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), the PTI Network is mandated by Forum Leaders to facilitate trade, investment, and tourism opportunities between Pacific Island Countries and Territories and global markets.
Through its work, PTI continues to support business growth across the Blue Pacific, building the capacity of export-ready and investment-ready enterprises and connecting them with importers and investors worldwide.
[ENDS]
Link to the PTI Network page: https://forumsec.org/pacific-trade-invest-network
The PTI Independent Advisory Board members are Ian Clarke, Bethany Bessi Graham, Michelle Macdonald and Julienne LekaMaliaki.
