The Joint Commercial Commission (JCC) was proposed by President George Bush at the United States-Pacific Islands Summit held in October 1990 at the East-West Center. On January 12, 1993, a Memorandum of Understandingestablishing the United States/Pacific Island Nations Joint Commercial Commission was signed by the United States and the then thirteen independent Pacific island nations. The objective of the JCC is to promote mutually beneficial commercial and economic relations between the United States and the Pacific island nations.

 

 [For a more complete history of the development of the JCC go here.]

 

The United States Department of State is the lead U.S. agency with responsibility for keeping the JCC vital and active by participating in yearly meetings and giving voice to island concerns in Washington, D.C. Each Pacific island government participating in the JCC sends appropriate representatives (usually the minister or secretary responsible for trade or foreign affairs) to yearly meetings for discussions aimed at finding practical approaches to enhancing trade and investment. In addition to these government level meetings, outreach efforts towards the business communities within the U.S. and the Pacific island nations, with the goal of promoting the development of private sector linkages, is ongoing and expanding.

 

The JCC Secretariat is housed within the Pacific Islands Development Program. The Secretariat is responsible for responding to information requests, ongoing research endeavors, organizing yearly conferences and special workshops, the creation and maintenance of Internet tools that facilitate linkages between Pacific islands' and United States' businesses, and other day-to-day administration of the JCC.