NZ gives $58m in budget support
THE New Zealand Government provided a further $NZ40 million ($F58 million) in budgetary support to help the Fijian Government respond to the immediate socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Wednesday last week.
The grant was earlier announced by the New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister, Nanaia Mahuta, as part of their wider COVID-19 economic assistance to the Pacific.
Newly-appointed New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji Charlotte Darlow said the budget support would focus on social protection.
“This budget support package demonstrates Aotearoa New Zealand’s commitment to support Fiji to respond to the immediate economic impacts of COVID-19 and support a sustainable long-term recovery,” she said.
“This fiscal support will enable the Fijian Government to continue to support the needs of vulnerable households and sustain livelihoods.”
Attorney-General and Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said the Government appreciated another vote of confidence in Fiji’s financial management through NZ’s direct budgetary support to help kickstart Fiji’s ongoing recovery.
“For that recovery to be meaningful and sustained over the longterm, we must work towards a normalisation of trade and travel within our region,” he said.
“As the region’s hub, Fiji is prepared to help lead the Pacific into the new post-pandemic normal and, as nations with world-leading rates of vaccination, we look forward to re-uniting Fijians and Kiwis under both countries’ reopening plans as soon and safely as possible.”