A delegation of members of the Australia Pacific Islands Business Council (APIBC), led by President Simon Gorman, will embark on a Northern Pacific business mission commencing on 4 March, with Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to be signed in Nauru, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Guam.
The MoU with Nauru will be formally signed in person on 4 March, following an earlier virtual signing during the Covid-19 pandemic. Similar MoUs will be signed in the Marshall Islands on 6 March and in Guam on 9 March. Each agreement recognises the shared objective of strengthening private sector linkages, promoting inclusive economic development and supporting employment growth through structured business cooperation.
The MoUs provide a framework for collaboration between APIBC and local business chambers and industry bodies, focusing on trade promotion, investment facilitation, business networking and capacity development. They are designed to create practical pathways for engagement between Australian companies and Northern Pacific enterprises, including sector-specific cooperation and joint business initiatives.
APIBC President Simon Gorman said: “From signing MoUs with the Marshall Islands and Guam Chambers of Commerce and following up on relationships arising from the APIBC Infrastructure Forum with delegations in Nauru and Palau, we have a jam-packed itinerary ahead of us.”
Guam is the newest Associate Member of the Pacific Islands Forum, and this mission will mark the first formal engagement between APIBC and a Pacific Islands Forum member industry body in the territory. The engagement reflects growing recognition of Guam’s strategic and commercial role in the Northern Pacific.
As part of the mission, the APIBC delegation will also visit Manila to meet senior executives of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) involved in Pacific programmes. Discussions will focus on strengthening collaboration between APIBC and ADB following the successful Pacific Infrastructure Conference 2025 in Brisbane, and on supporting future regional infrastructure engagement, including the Pacific Infrastructure Business Opportunities Seminar to be held in Nadi in May 2026.
Australia maintains longstanding economic and development partnerships across the Pacific, including in Nauru and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, where Australian companies are active in sectors such as infrastructure, professional services, energy, water and logistics. The mission aims to build on these relationships and explore new areas of commercial collaboration.
During the visit, the delegation will meet government officials, business leaders and development partners to advance dialogue on trade, investment, infrastructure development and private sector growth across the Northern Pacific.
The Australia Pacific Islands Business Council (APIBC), established in 2000, is an independent association of businesses based in Australia and the Pacific Islands. It provides a framework for the private sector to engage with Australian and Pacific Islands governments at senior political and policy levels, supporting practical solutions to trade and investment issues.
APIBC also offers members a strong regional network to advance their business interests across the Pacific. The Council works closely with the Australia Fiji Business Council and the Australia Papua New Guinea Business Council. Membership spans a broad cross-section of industries, including shipping, manufacturing, transport, aviation, professional services, construction, tourism, banking, energy, food and legal services, representing both major corporations and small family-owned enterprises.
