Department of Foreign Affairs
The department is endeavoured to support the Ministry’s corporate principles and values aligning to the trade policy fundamental principles
Introduction
"The term multilateral trade negotiations initially applied to negotiations between General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade member nations conducted under the auspices of the GATT and aimed at reducing tariff and nontariff trade barriers. In 1995 the World Trade Organization replaced the GATT as the administrative body" Vanuatu as a bilateral and multilateral diplomatic country trades with nearly 70 countries mostly located in Oceania, Asia, Europe and America. The vision of the Department of External Trade under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to promote access to the domestic and international markets for Vanuatu expo which is the main target for the Ministry under the third pillar (Economic Pillar) of Vanuatu's Sustainable Development Plan (NSDP). Moving forward, Vanuatu has graduated from Least Developed Country (LDC) to Developed Country on the 4th of December 2020.
The External Trade Policy Framework guides the department to achieve its goals and visions through the implementation of the department's business plan (BP). The business plan focuses mainly on external trade negotiations and trade agreements between Vanuatu and other countries.
Vision
The department vision complements the corporate mission that is to Increase market access for Vanuatu’s international trade through the preferential trade arrangements that encourages exports and imports
Strategic Objective
Principles
Objective
In achieving the trade Policy and Vanuatu development goals, the Department of External Trade (DOET) is envisaged to implement them through its program, and to achieve them through its related objectives below:
To coordinate the external Trade Policy implementation and support the Department to deliver its services efficiently and effectively to all stakeholders.
To facilitate Vanuatu International Trade Exhibition and Trade Commissioners engagement to promote Vanuatu trade and investment.
To negotiate and facilitate the implementation of the multilateral trade agreements.
To negotiate and facilitate the implementation of the bilateral and regional trade agreements.