New Caledonia at the Pacific Expo
28 October 2021
The second edition of the Pacific Exposition, organized by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, is in full swing from October 27 to 30. Twenty Pacific countries and territories, including New Caledonia, are participating in this virtual event which aims to strengthen regional cooperation and encourage economic recovery following the COVID health crisis.
Initiated in 2019 by the government of Indonesia, in partnership with New Zealand and Australia, the first ever Pacific Expo was a great success. In four days, the event, which took place in Auckland, attracted around 5,000 visitors and recorded more than 7.6 billion francs in contracts and promises of business. Buoyed by this momentum, the event was held again this year from October 27 to 30, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, everything took place online (free registration to visit the stands and attend the forums). Still with the aim of developing business relations, multiple interactive features and a business matching platform are offered to participants.
27 New Caledonian Companies
As it was the case during the first edition, New Caledonia is once again well represented at the Pacific Exposition. Its nine virtual booths showcase its investment opportunities, its tourist assets and 27 New Caledonian companies in health, livestock, construction and public works, digital and other sectors (see box).
"Our presence at this exhibition demonstrates New Caledonia's desire to become more involved in the region at the diplomatic, economic, social and environmental levels," said Adolphe Dgoué, Minister for Trade, in his video address at the opening of the event.
A More Virtuous Economic Model
In a context dominated by the global health crisis, this exhibition is also an opportunity for policy makers, technicians, business leaders and representatives of regional organizations to discuss the prospects for economic recovery in the Pacific. The health emergency, combined with the climate emergency, "has weakened our small economies a little more," noted the Minister. "We have been able to develop some resilience. We have to anticipate and take decisions without delay to revive our economies, by innovating, by undertaking reforms to revisit certain models, now unsuitable. Our public policies should aim at a more virtuous economic model while moving towards an economic, energy and food transition," said Adolphe Digoué.
A public-private mobilization
New Caledonia's participation in Pacific Expo 2021 is the result of the mobilization of several public and private actors. On the government side, these include the Regional Cooperation and External Relations Department, the ChooseNC! unit of the Economic Affairs Department and the Coral Sea Natural Park and Fisheries Department. Also involved were the Rural Agency, the North, South and Loyalty Islands Provinces, the NCT&I cluster and the participating companies, GIE Nouvelle-Calédonie Tourisme and the CCI. This exhibition is a unique opportunity to showcase the products, services and companies of our countries and territories," said Adolphe Digoué, "to get to know each other better and to facilitate contacts between economic operators, whether public or private."