Vishaal Kumar 27 January, 2021, 5:12 pm EU Ambassador to the Pacific Sujiro Seam (left) and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, Dame Meg Taylor during the MOU signing today. Picture: RAMA. The European Union(EU) was a business partner for the Pacific. These were the sentiments shared by Ambassador of the European Union for the Pacific, Sujiro Seam while speaking at the signing of a new project worth EUR 5.75 million ($F 14.3 million) with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General this morning to enhance the trade capacity of Pacific countries. The project titled “Strengthening Pacific Intra -Regional and International Trade (SPIRIT)” (SPIRIT) aims at boosting and increasing intra-regional and international trade by strengthening institutional and technical capacity in the region. It will facilitate the implementation of trade agreements, in particular the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and of the Pacific’s Aid-for-Trade Strategy 2020-2025. SPIRIT will also contribute to the development of a statistical monitoring framework that will foster greater regional economic integration.