ENHANCED INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK VITAL, SAYS FORAU
Foreign Minister Clay Forau and Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, Arancha Gonzalez. Photo: Foreign Affairs.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Clay Forau says the Enhanced Integrated Framework – a multi-donor program to support Least Developed Countries address supply side constraints – is an important mechanism to boost economic growth for Solomon Islands.
Minister Forau made the statement during a meeting with the Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, Arancha Gonzalez, in Geneva, Switzerland this week.
Minister Forau also told the I-T-C Executive Director the recently launched EIF-funded tourism project which will help boost this key sector in the country’s economy.
He said the I-T-C can assist in building the capacities of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Solomon Islands to enable them to be competitive regionally and internationally.
In response, the International Trade Centre Executive Director reaffirmed the willingness of the I-T-C to help Solomon Islands better leverage the existing tourism project.
Arancha Gonzalez said this would enhance backward and forward linkages, and specifically the role of women and youths, and other areas like the handicraft and fisheries sectors, food processing and horticulture.