Chamber News

2025 VCCI Business Health Check Report

Dear members, I’m pleased to share with you the 2025 VCCI Business Health Check Report, which presents a vital snapshot of the current state of Vanuatu’s private sector in the wake of the December 2024 earthquake. With insights from nearly 600 businesses across all six provinces, this report reveals the ongoing challenges and resilience of our business community, including: An average 35% decline in revenue for businesses with staff 569 jobs lost, primarily in Port Vila 54% drop in income for sole traders 47% of businesses reporting no planned investment in the year ahead Tourism remains severely impacted, with air arrivals at just 49% of 2019 levels Despite these challenges, the report also outlines areas of opportunity—especially in rebuilding efforts, the construction sector, and the…

Small Business Grant and Wage Subsidy Scheme now live!

VCCI is happy to announce that it will again be supporting local businesses to access the Government’s business support stimulus (post-earthquake relief). Please come to see our helpful customer service officers to receive assistance in submitting your applications from 8am to 5pm daily at our new office in Tassariki behind PVIS School. Information about the wage subsidy scheme and business grant is below. Red Zone maps available or download here. What is the Stimulus? The Government is providing businesses with financial support. There are two ways they are doing this: The Small Business Grant (SBG) has been designed for those vendors operating at the mama’s market and handicraft haus, displaced by the earthquake – a 3 month payment of 62,000vt per month, covering January to…

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI) FOR PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT

The Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) is Vanuatu’s National Private Sector organisation, providing business representation, support and development services across the country. VCCI’s success is credited to the support from its long-standing partners and effective collaborations with its wide range of stakeholders, including Government policy makers, development partners, and most importantly the private sector. Our mission is to support, foster and advocate for a vibrant, sustainable business community for Vanuatu. The achievement of this mission will require continued support from our partners. In pursuit of such efforts, VCCI is seeking a credible entity or developer to express interest in developing its land property located in Port Vila township, opposite Shefa Provincial Office. The key features of this property are summarized in the table…

VCCI Annual General Meeting – Council 2025 Elections 28 May, 2025

The Council is comprised of 16 members of the private sector, experienced in managing their own businesses and dedicated to advancing their industry sectors. By serving on the Council, these members exercise a major impact on the strategic direction of the VCCI. Recognized for their contributions by the business community, the Council members support VCCI in its mission to develop and support economic growth for all business types in Vanuatu. The Council is comprised of 16 elected positions, each serving two-year terms. Elected Council members serve as individuals; however, to be nominated for and serve on the Council, a person must be a member of the association for the sector they represent, if such an association exists. This year 6 seats are available for the…

From Sunny Plantation Days to Organic Dark Chocolates

Thanks to the Industry Development Fund many businesses like Aisen’s have received a boost in its potential and growth. The grant has funded a small storage and office space for the business operations of Aisen Samuel’s AISEN CACAO on the island of Malekula. Aisen Samuel, who for many years worked at one of Vanuatu’s largest cocoa projects spanning across 500 hectares in the western side of Malekula, gained his skills through his working experience, and became passionate about the Cacao industry. Aisen’s days at the cocoa plantation were not futile, he was inspired to start something of his own. Aisen is the proud owner of Aisen’s Cacao. He runs this business with the help of his children who are actively engaged in the operations of…

Business Support Workshops run by the VCCI Team to help Businesses on Malekula Island

Malekula Island has great business opportunities and is rich with resources that make it a great place for agri-businesses, local production of Vanuatu made products and other industries to flourish and grow.  The Vanuatu Chamber of commerce and Industry recognizes the importance of supporting these businesses with skills that will help them become more resilient with strengthened business practices. Selected businesses were invited to a 3-day workshop that focused on Basic Money Management that incorporated budgeting, recording and pricing of products and services. On the second day, the cohort went through a business planning session and finally on the last day the cohort went through with a business continuity planning session that provided the businesses with resources that will enable them to make their own…

BUSINESS SURVEY INITIAL RESULTS REVEALED

The Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce is releasing some initial findings from its 2025 business survey. The 2025 Business Survey is running until the end of March, and is designed to help inform the VCCI, the Government, and the public as to how the private sector is performing across all provinces. The final results from the survey will be released in April, but the VCCI has decided to release some initial findings this week given the current economic reality faced by many businesses. The VCCI notes that all results must be treated with caution, as the data has not been cleaned yet, and the business sample is weighed at present to certain industry sectors. The initial findings that VCCI presented are: For business with staff: 60%…

FREE WEBINAR for Pacific Exporters organized by the Fiji Trade Commission, North America

The Fiji Trade Commission North America in coordination with the Registrar Corp is delivering a webinar on “Unpacking US FDA Food Labeling and Ingredient Regulation: What Pacific Exporters Must Know Before Exporting”. This webinar is free to all interested individuals keen on learning about the regulatory requirements – please see details at the below link and feel free to share the link with your colleagues/contact: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=620896057493856&id=100087204019105&mibextid=Nif5oz “Did you know that labeling mistakes and illegal food additives are among the top reasons food products are refused entry into the U.S. market? Many companies only discover compliance issues too late—at port.Join Anna Benevente and Vijey Ananda on March 26, 2025, from 10 AM – 11 AM (Fiji) for an exclusive webinar:“Unpacking U.S. FDA Food Labeling and Ingredient…

VCCI Supporting Skills for Successful Investment and Entrepreneurship for our Seasonal Workers

The Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) has provided coaching and skills development to a selected group of labour mobility Team Leaders, so that they are better able to support members of their teams that they are travelling with to develop their goals, both investment and business related, while away in New Zealand and Australia on seasonal work programs. Team Leaders are the unsung heroes of labour mobility, they aren’t often recognised for the additional work they do, and the additional responsibilities they carry by providing pastoral care and support to fellow ni Vanuatu team members who have often never travelled out of Vanuatu before’ says Esther Wenau, Program Lead on the Worker Ready Investment program. ‘They are selected as Team Leaders for showing…

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Covid 19 Video Updates

31 March 2020
26 March 2020