Top level meeting of central banks here boosts Fiji’s profile
Congratulations to our Pacific community central banks for hosting the first South Pacific Central Banking Research Conference at the Holiday Inn, in Suva.
The two-day conference, co-hosted by Griffith University (Australia), the Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF), Bank of Papua New Guinea (BPNG), Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) and the Reserve Bank of Vanuatu (RBV), ends today.
It is the outcome of some years of research collaboration between Griffith University and South Pacific central banks through funding by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Around 100 central bank researchers, academics, business leaders and policymakers are attending the twoday event to share current research on various economic and financial issues affecting the region.
It is an opportunity to explore vital links between research and policy issues related to central banking and the private sector.
A number of international agencies and central banks from outside the South Pacific region are also participating in the conference as speakers, moderators and panellists.
These include the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Reserve Bank of Australia and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. Around 25 research papers, mostly co-authored by Griffith University and the hosting central banks under the Griffith-South Pacific Central Banks (SPCBs) partnership will be presented during the conference covering themes such as the macro-economy, financial sector, private sector development and wealth creation.
Since 2014, one joint-paper from this collaboration has been published in an international journal called the ‘Review of Pacific Basin Financial Markets and Policies’ and another has been accepted for publication in the “Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy”.
Governor, RBF Ariff Ali rightly says that central bankers in the Pacific have taken this bold step “to strengthen our research capacity, which is evident by the highlevel attendance today, of representative central banks from the region”.
It shows the central banks’ sincere appreciation of the commitment of Griffith University and the Australian Government to assist in the research capacity of the Pacific central banks.
This also shows that we are capable of such events in the future.
The next big event in the same sector is the 52nd Asian Development Bank (ADB) Annual Meeting in Nadi, from May 2 to 5, 2019 with the theme ‘Prosperity through Unity’.
It is another feather in the cap for Fiji as a recognised regional hub in the finance sector.
It is an opportunity to explore vital links between research and policy issues related to central banking and the private sector.