The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) welcomes the independent evaluation of the PACER Plus Implementation Package (PPIP) 2020-2025. PACER Plus supports economic cooperation and development across the Pacific.

From 2020 to 2025, the PACER Plus Implementation Unit (PPIU), hosted in Samoa, delivered the Development and Economic Cooperation Work Program, supporting Pacific Island Parties to build trade capability and take advantage of regional trade and investment opportunities.

DFAT welcomes the evaluation’s recommendations and acknowledges the progress made by the PPIU and partner countries, particularly given early implementation challenges during COVID-19. Australia and New Zealand have renewed support for the PPIU for 2025-2030 and will work with all Parties to consider and learn from the evaluation’s recommendations, ensuring the PPIU continues to deliver practical, high-quality outcomes for PACER Plus members across the Pacific.

Evaluation Report

• PACER Plus Implementation Package Evaluation Report [DOCX 1.6 MB]
• PACER Plus Implementation Package Evaluation Report [PDF 1.9 MB]

Management response

DFAT welcomes the recommendations from the independent evaluation of the PPIP 2020-2025. This evaluation report has been shared with all Parties to PACER Plus. DFAT will engage in addressing the recommendations through the existing PACER Plus governance structures, recognising that it is the responsibility of all 10 Parties to PACER Plus as well as the PACER Plus Implementation Unit (PPIU).

DFAT acknowledges that the PPIU and Parties to PACER Plus have made significant efforts towards continuous improvement to the governance meetings, PPIU’s operations, and delivery of the Development and Economic Cooperation Work Programme. This was despite early challenges in implementation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which also delayed the establishment of the PPIU as an international organisations based in Apia, Samoa.

At the most recent PACER Plus Ministers Meeting, November 2025, Australia was pleased to renew our support for 2025-2030, with strong advocacy for pursuing the recommendations provided in this Report and reinforcing the rules based trading system, that is inclusive, builds economic resilience and drives the region’s prosperity.

DFAT endorses the recommendations and recognise the importance of prioritising them given capacities and the need to maintain implementation in parallel. As such, DFAT will work closely with Parties and the PPIU to encourage focus on enhancing Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Adaptation (MELA) processes and capabilities across the free trade agreement, and Development and Economic Cooperation Work Programme going forward. DFAT also acknowledges the efforts of the PPIU in driving improvements for all Parties to consider, including on MELA.