Fiji and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) have reaffirmed their commitment to collectively build back better from COVID-19, while advancing the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Asia-Pacific region.
This was conveyed during a telephone call held this afternoon between Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama, and Executive Secretary of UNESCAP, Ms Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana.
Discussions centred on the ongoing cooperation between Fiji and UNESCAP, and the way forward to strengthen partnership in the post-pandemic era.
The Prime Minister congratulated ESCAP on the commemoration of its 75th anniversary, recognising ESCAP’s impressive contribution to the development of cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.
He conveyed the Fijian Government’s assurances of strengthened partnership with ESCAP in climate change and oceans management, and COVID-19 response and recovery, among other areas.
The Prime Minister commended ESCAP’s commitment to Fiji’s development priorities, especially support towards Fiji post-COVID, and through our recovery efforts, which have contributed to the progressive steps taken by Fiji to reopen its international borders and revive the economy while creating opportunities for business and investment.
The Prime Minister said that Fiji looks forward to participating in the upcoming 78th Commission Session, which is aptly based on the theme, “A common Agenda to advance sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific.”
Fiji is grateful to have participated in the 9th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD9) earlier this year, which highlighted the importance of regional solidarity for accelerating transformations for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda while recovering from COVID-19.
The Prime Minister thanked ESCAP’s sub-regional office for the Pacific based in Suva for its continued partnership with the Fijian Government, which has resulted in successful collaboration for launching one of the first SDG7 — Energy roadmaps in the Pacific.
The initiative aligns with Fiji’s National Energy Policy, and it unfolds opportunities to build renewable energy-based energy systems for Fiji and the region.
Fiji and ESCAP’s strong partnership is evident through the Pacific Climate Change Migration and Human Security (PCCM-HS) Programme, which empowers communities adversely affected by climate change while addressing the climate-induced challenges faced by the Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
UNESCAP Executive Secretary, Ms Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, said, “As ESCAP celebrates its 75th anniversary, fostering regional cooperation on our common agenda in priority areas related to raising climate action and recovering better from the post-COVID-pandemic are central.”
“Over the past seven decades, ESCAP has been the most inclusive platform to strengthen regional solutions for socio-economic transformation in the Asia-Pacific region.”
The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is the largest regional intergovernmental platform with 53 member states and 9 associate members. ESCAP’s strategic focus is to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is reinforced and deepened by promoting regional cooperation and integration to advance responses to shared vulnerabilities, connectivity, financial cooperation, and market integration.
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Prime Minister Honourable Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama while meeting the Executive Secretary for UNESCAP Her Excellency Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana along the margins of the seventh session of the Asia-Pacific Urban Forum in Penang, Malaysia, in 2019
