Foreign relations of Vanuatu 32452 175460086 2007-12-03T11:21:16Z SmackBot 433328 Date/fix the maintenance tags or gen fixes using [[Project:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]] {{Mergefrom|Diplomatic missions of Vanuatu|date=December 2007}} {{Politics of Vanuatu}} [[Vanuatu]] maintains relations with more than 65 countries, and has a very modest network of [[Diplomatic missions of Vanuatu|diplomatic missions]]. However, only [[Australia]], [[France]], [[New Zealand]], and the [[People's Republic of China]] maintain embassies, high commissions, or missions in [[Port Vila]]. The [[British High Commission]] closed in [[2005]] after maintaining a presence for almost a century. The government's main concern has been to bolster the economy. In keeping with its need for financial assistance, Vanuatu has joined the [[Asian Development Bank]], the [[World Bank]], the [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF), and the [[Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique]] (ACCT). The government encourages private enterprise, foreign investment, and producer cooperatives. Like other developing countries, Vanuatu is particularly interested in enterprises that add value to local primary products and that provide employment. In less lucrative sectors, the government sets up its own production companies or enters joint ventures with foreign investors. Since [[1980]], Australia, the United Kingdom, France, and New Zealand have provided the bulk of Vanuatu's development aid. A number of other countries, including [[Japan]], [[Canada]], [[Germany]], and various multilateral organizations, such as the [[Economic and Social Council for Asia and the Pacific]], the [[UN Development Programme]], the Asian Development Bank, the [[European Economic Community]], and the [[Commonwealth Development Corporation]] also provide developmental aid. The [[United States]], Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Japan also send volunteers. Vanuatu retains strong economic and cultural ties to Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and France. Australia has provided the bulk of Vanuatu's military assistance, training its [[paramilitary]] mobile force and also providing patrol boats to patrol Vanuatu's waters. Vanuatu briefly recognized the [[Republic of China]] (Taiwan) in late [[2004]] when on [[November 3]] Prime Minister [[Serge Vohor]] signed a communiqué in [[Taipei]] with ROC Foreign Minister [[Mark Chen]]. Taipei had offered $30 million in aid in return (compared with the $10 million given by the PRC). Under the [[One-China policy]], this would result in the severing of ties with the People's Republic of China. However, Vohor did so without consultations with his cabinet and the PRC Foreign Ministry, quoting the Vanuatuan Foreign Minister, denied ties with the ROC had been established. The Vanuatuan Council of Ministers, in the Prime Minister's absence, announced on November 11 that the communiqué had been withdrawn but a spokesman for the Prime Minister denied this a day later. There were reports that previous attempts by Vohor to travel to Taipei were thwarted amid pressure from Beijing so his latest visit was done secretly on purpose. For a period of few weeks, both the PRC and ROC had diplomatic missions posted in Vanuatu with the Vanuatuan government in internal disagreement. At one point Prime Minister Vohor punched the PRC ambassador when approached to explain why the [[flag of the Republic of China]] was flying over the hotel where the Taiwanese representative was posted. The standoff ended on [[December 11]], [[2004]] when the parliament passed a motion of no-confidence against Vohor and replaced him with [[Ham Lini]]. On [[11 March]] [[2005]], Vanuatu imposed a ban in biscuit imports, ostensibly to protect its own biscuit manufacturing industry, giving a monopoly on the business to the [[Espiritu Santo]]-based [[Wong Sze Sing]] store. The ban was the second in a year. Bread and breakfast cereals produced by [[Flour Mills of Fiji]] are the worst-hit. The [[Fiji]]an government retaliated on [[13 June]] with a threat to impose a total commercial embargo on Vanuatu. Major income-earners for Vanuatu targeted by the Fijian government include [[kava|Vanuatu kava]], valued at almost [[United States Dollar|US$]]3.2 million, and [[Air Vanuatu]] flights ([[United States Dollar|US$]]8 million). == International organization participation == [[Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique|ACCT]], [[ACP (Lomé Convention)|ACP]], [[Asian Development Bank|ADB]], [[Commonwealth of Nations]], [[Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific|ESCAP]], [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]], [[Group of 77|G-77]], [[International Bank for Reconstruction and Development|IBRD]], [[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]], [[International Confederation of Free Trade Unions|ICFTU]], [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]], [[International Development Association|IDA]], [[International Finance Corporation|IFC]], [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|IFRCS]], [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]], [[International Maritime Organization|IMO]], [[Intelsat]] (nonsignatory user), [[IOC]], [[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]], [[Non-Aligned Movement|NAM]], [[Pacific Islands Forum|PIF]], [[Sparteca]], [[Secretariat of the Pacific Community|SPC]], [[United Nations|UN]], [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UNCTAD]], [[UNESCO]], [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]], [[Universal Postal Union|UPU]], [[World Federation of Trade Unions|WFTU]], [[World Health Organization|WHO]], [[World Meteorological Organization|WMO]], [[World Trade Organization|WTO]] (applicant). ==International disputes == Vanuatu claims [[Matthew Island]] and [[Hunter Island]] east of [[New Caledonia]] [[Category:Foreign relations of Vanuatu| ]]