Joint Forum Guaranteed to Boost Business Ties Between Fiji and Australia
Over 150 delegates from Fiji and Australia, converged at the Fiji Marriott Momi Bay Resort over a three day period this week for the highly anticipated major event, the 2018 Fiji Australia Business Council (FABC) and Australia Fiji Business Council (AFBC)Joint Business Forum. Annually organised and co-hosted by sister councils, Fiji Australia Business Council and Australia Fiji Business Council, this year’s joint business forum is the 24th of its kind.
The inaugural bilateral event was held 31 years ago in 1987 when government representatives and members of the private sector met for the first time in such a platform, to discuss how they can contribute jointly to Fiji’s economic growth.
True to the forum’s theme, Partners and Solutions for Business, a positive and collaborative atmosphere prevailed throughout the main forum held on Friday.
The excellent rapport displayed by Fiji’s Minister for Industry, Trade, Tourism, Lands and Mineral Resources, Faiyaz Siddiq Koya; and Australia’s Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Mark Coulton; during the official opening set the tone for the whole event.
“We are delighted to have the two Ministers as our chief guest speakers, and as this is Mark Coulton’s first trip to Fiji,” states FABC president, Dave Aidney.
“We are very pleased with his invigorating response about the numerous opportunities Fiji has to offer,”
Significant sectors and issues were covered in the programme, and presented by wellrespected experts from various fields.
■From a Senior Economist’s report on the Fiji economy and business,
■ sessions looking at global trends that will disrupt boards in 2019,
■bui●di■g resilient industries in a changing climate, tax matters, productivity, construction, waste, manufacturing,
■agricu●ture and tourism;
The forum explored the challenges of doing business in Fiji, and innovative solutions that will strengthen Fiji’s position as the hub and the new powerhouse of the Pacific.
Fiji is experiencing the longest period of sustained economic advancement in known history, and there is an expected growth in tourism to become an $2.2 billion industry by 2021. Australia is the largest source of foreign investment in Fiji to date and in 2007, it was valued at AU$1.2 billion (FJ$1.81bn).
Today, it is worth AU$2.1bn (FJ$3.8bn). AFBC president, Geoffrey Shaw says: “The possibility of stronger engagement between our two nations has grown over the last period of years, and today’s forum confirms that we are going to see a lot more integration from now onwards.”
Councils thank sponsors
FABC and AFBC thanks all the generous sponsors and partners who supported the joint business forum; Westpac, ANZ, BSP, Vaiwai, Fiji Gas, Textile Clothing and Footwear Council of Fiji, South Pacific Stock Exchange, Dulux, KPMG, Vodafone, The Australian Institute of Company Directors, Fiji Marriott Momi Bay Resort, Immago (Image Label Systems Fiji Ltd), and The Greenhouse Studio.
About Fiji Australia Business Council (FABC):
FABC promotes friendship, goodwill and understanding between the business communities of Fiji and Australia to encourage trade, investment, tourism, technical and economic cooperation. The Fiji Australia Business Council is a dynamic organisation growing from strength to strength and is proud to celebrate 32 years in 2018.
About Australia Fiji Business Council (AFBC):
The Australia Fiji Business Council, with its counterpart organisation in Fiji the Fiji Australia Business Council, was established in 1986.
The of its establishment aim of providing a framework within which the private sector can communicate with the Australia and Fiji governments at the highest political and policy advising levels with a view to finding solutions to trade and investments issues involving the two countries.