Suva, Fiji – 25 June 2026 – The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) marked a major milestone with the successful graduation of 32 policymakers from the third cycle of the PIFS E commerce Rules Course for Pacific Policymakers.
Held virtually on 25 June, the graduation ceremony brought together participants, key international experts who contributed as speakers to the course, development partners, and in person representatives from Suva based Pacific diplomatic missions to celebrate the achievements of those who successfully completed the course.
The graduation marked the completion of an eight week, self paced course that engaged over 200 participants from across Forum Island Countries and Timor Leste. The course began with an inception session in March 2026, where participants were introduced to the course modules and heard reflections from past alumni on its practical value. It then continued through 24 online modules, 16 quizzes, and two interactive sessions.
The interactive sessions, held on 7 May and 2 June 2026, provided participants with opportunities to engage directly with 16 international digital economy and legal experts, who shared insights on the rapidly evolving digital landscape. These sessions strengthened participants’ understanding of key policy, legal, and regulatory developments in e commerce, while fostering dialogue and knowledge exchange relevant to the Pacific context.
At the graduation ceremony, PIFS Trade Policy Officer, Ms Hildegard Rai, on behalf of the Acting Director for Programmes and Initiatives, Ms Natalia Patternot, highlighted the achievements of the cohort despite the demanding nature of the course. She applauded participants’ strong commitment to understanding complex digital trade concepts and applying them in practical policy contexts, as demonstrated through their active engagement throughout the course. Ms Rai also emphasised PIFS’ continued commitment to regularly updating course content to keep pace with the rapidly evolving global e commerce landscape, ensuring its relevance for policymakers across the region.
Mr Auega Alemenia (Trade Officer, Tuvalu), Ms Lydia Bernadette Hazelman (Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Samoa) and Mr Berenado Daveta (Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Policing and Communications, Fiji) shared some reflections on their learning journey, highlighting how the course has strengthened their ability to engage in digital trade policy discussions and negotiations within their respective countries. Mr Daveta noted that “One key lesson from the course was the importance of striking the right balance between digital trade openness and protection. While promoting digital innovation and entrepreneurship is essential, governments must also ensure the protection of national security, privacy, consumer rights, critical infrastructure, and digital sovereignty.”
The ceremony concluded with closing remarks from Australia, whose kind support made this course cycle possible, followed by final notes from the PIFS Senior Course Trainer, Dr Leonila Guglya, who congratulated the graduating class of the 2026 cycle.
Looking ahead, all course materials will be made available on the training section of the Pacific E commerce Portal, where government officials from Forum Member countries can access the training materials at their convenience, complete the quizzes, and obtain certification upon completion.
The E-commerce Rules course for Pacific policymakers is PIFS regional product to support Pacific policymakers to develop negotiators skills on e-commerce laws and regulations. It implements Measure 4.2.1 of the Pacific Regional E-commerce Strategy and Roadmap.
