The United Nations (UN) and Fiji Government will work together to promote a prosperous economy, at the same time, ensure that people’s voices are heard at every stage of an inclusive national development.
This was reiterated today, at an introductory call to the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Honourable Sitiveni Rabuka from the UN Resident Coordinator to Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, Mr. Sanaka Samarasinha.
As the Resident Coordinator, Mr. Sanaka is the representative of the UN Secretary General in these five countries and leads a country team of 31 UN agencies.
Prime Minister Rabuka said Fiji highly appreciates the UN’s important role in advancing multilateralism, as our collective response to address the global challenges.
He reasserted the Fiji Government’s commitment to strengthening partnership with the UN on issues of significance to Fiji and the Pacific family.
UN’s ongoing collaboration with Fiji, in the areas of climate change, oceans and the environment, peace and security and human rights, women and youth empowerment, health and education, was acknowledged.
Fiji is also grateful for the UN’s support provided during times of need, particularly through the provision of humanitarian assistance.
PM Rabuka said Fiji looks forward for the UN’s cooperation to create new opportunities for the empowerment of communities in Fiji, Pacific and beyond.
Mr. Samarasinha also took the opportunity to congratulate Mr Rabuka, and reaffirmed the UN’s support to the people and the coalition Government.
He said, “The UN will continue to work closely with Fiji to promote a sustainable and prosperous economy, ensure national development processes are fully inclusive of women, youth, and those most at risk of being left behind, and to further support governance and legal structures in the country”.
“The Fiji Government recently signed the five-year ‘UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2027’, which commits the UN to addressing Fiji’s development priorities and needs together.
“Through this Framework, the people of Fiji can expect more coordinated, responsive support from the UN over the next five years, and beyond,” Mr Samarasinha said.
The UN Resident Coordinator elaborated that, “UN support to Fiji last year amounted to FJ$52.5m, supporting equitable basic services, adaptation and mitigation of climate change-related disasters, disaster resilience and environmental protection, governance and community engagement, gender equality, and economic empowerment and human rights”.
Fiji’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations based in New York also works closely with the UN in advancing universal goals on building a more sustainable and unified world.
