Fiji

The meetings are being held at the Tanoa International Hotel, Nadi, Fiji. 

Senior officials and representatives from Fiji, PNG, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu will be in attendance as part of talks towards a new and more comprehensive trade agreement - MSGTA3 – that will now include Trade in Services, and new chapters such as Labour Mobility, Investment, and Telecommunications. 

MSG Leaders have directed that a draft legal text of the trade agreement must be ready by November 2015.

The meetings include: 

Cook Islands won the biennial event two years ago but will not defend their title, choosing to focus their limited resources on November's Olympic Sevens Qualifier.

Newcomers American Samoa open proceedings against Solomon Islands at Sir Hubert Murray Stadium, followed by hosts Papua New Guinea against Tahiti, in the first round of matches.

The General Manager of Rugby PNG, Frank Genia, says pride and silverware aren't the only things on up for grabs.

“A woman who sells fish by the road side in Tarawa pays AUD$5 (US$3) a day to the Bairiki Town Council,” says Mereia Volavola, CEO of PIPSO.

“In a year she is charged AU$2, 000 (US$1,467).

“Similarly in Fiji, a woman who sells her garden produce by the road side in Suva pays a business licence of FJ$2000 (US$1,000) in one year to the Suva City Council. Yet an accounting agency is charged just about FJ$00 (US$250).

The home side thrashed Tonga 5-0 in a friendly match in Ba last night and also play American Samoa in Nadi next week, with both teams preparing for the first round of Oceania Football World Cup qualifiers at the end of the month.

Malakai Tiwa opened the scoring in the 7th minute, with Alvin Singh and Osea Vakatalesau also finding the back of the net to give the hosts a 3-0 halftime lead.

Tiwa doubled his tally ten minutes into the second spell before Napolioni Qasevakatini made it 5-0 from the penalty spot ten minutes from full-time.

Fiji take on Tonga at Govind Park in Ba later today before meeting American Samoa next week in Nadi.

The visitors are using the matches as preparation for the first stage of Oceania FIFA World Cup qualifying, which begins in Nuku'alofa at the end of the month.

Fiji Football National Team Director Taranesh Reddy says after a busy year with the Under 20 World Cup and Pacific Games the focus is now on the national team, and every game helps.

With Tonga preparing for the upcoming preliminary qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Fiji will be fielding a strong side.

Fiji Football Association vice president and national team director Tarunesh Reddy has urged the fans to come out in numbers to support the team.

Reddy said the fans had been calling for international fixtures.

“The team has been in camp since last week and Buzzetti has been working with the combinations,” he said.

The 35 observers were divided into two groups with one group doing sea time at the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) and the other group undertaking the Pacific Islands Regional Fisheries Observer Syllabus Programme.

A statement from government said each group did five weeks of intensive training before going for the second part which will take another five weeks.

Deputy Director Offshore, Edward Honiwala who officially opened the second part of the programme said the observers will spend another five weeks before completing the programme.

After losing their first two matches, the Pearls have recorded back to back wins against Zambia and Sri Lanka.

Fiji have already come up against teams from the UK, Africa and Asia and goal-shoot Taraima Mitchell is expecting another challenge against their Caribbean opponents.

The Flying Fijians have moved up one place to ninth after beating Manu Samoa in last week's final.

Tonga's three-match winning streak to end the tournament has also seen them jump from 12th into the top ten, with Samoa slipping back two places to 11th.

In other notable moves, Ireland has climbed to their highest ever position of second after beating Wales in a World Cup warm-up match over the weekend.

That, coupled with South Africa's shock home defeat to Argentina was enough for the Irish to move up, with the Springboks dropping three places to fifth.

Fiji will firstly host Tonga on 19 August at Govind Park in Ba, before playing American Samoa at Prince Charles Park in Nadi on 27 August.

The two visitors will compete when Oceania FIFA World Cup qualifying commences on 31 August in Tonga. One spot will be up for grabs in Stage 2 over the course of the five-day tournament, which also features Cook Islands and Samoa.

Fiji coach Carlos Buzzetti has named a strong 23-man squad for the matches including Wellington Phoenix striker Roy Krishna, powerful attacker Osea Vakatalesau and U-20 captain Jale Dreloa.