Pacific pushes for passport-free travel deal

New York [US], July 30: Pacific leaders are working on a plan to allow people to move more freely between island countries to boost economic ties across the region.
Pacific Islands Forum Secretary Baron Waqa said freer movement was a top priority not only for Pacific Islands Forum members but also for regional partners like Australia and New Zealand.
He said momentum was growing as ministers from across the Pacific push for easier cross-border travel.
"True, this is an area of interest to everyone, not just our members, but sending, and also the receiving, Australia, New Zealand, and others. The freer movement and the cross-border arrangement are something that the Pacific is pushing, that everyone within the region will have a reciprocal kind of arrangement where we respect each other's borders, but we can move in and out freely."
Waqa states leaders want a long-term deal that supports national interests while creating a more connected Pacific economy. The aim is to set up a system where countries respect each other's borders but allow people to move in and out easily.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation