Funding to benefit Fiji

SIX countries including Fiji will benefit from a $US6 million ($13.33m) funding agreement signed between the Government of Japan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support the institutional strengthening of legislatures in the Pacific.

The UNDP stated the project was part of Japan’s commitment to sustainable development in the Pacific which aimed to enhance the capacity of the legislative bodies to promote good governance, strengthen democracy, and improve public service delivery.

The six countries include Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Palau, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu – all of which face unique challenges in their efforts to achieve sustainable development. The intervention, which builds on the successes of the first phase of the project that ran between 2018 and 2022, will provide technical assistance, training, and capacity-building support to these countries’ legislatures, as well as strengthen cooperation and exchange among the parliaments at the regional level.

“Japan is firmly committed to supporting the development of the Pacific region, and we believe that strengthening the capacities of legislative bodies is critical to achieving sustainable development,” said Japanese Ambassador to Fiji Fumihiro Kawakami.

“We are pleased to renew our partnership with UNDP on this important project, and we look forward to working together with the legislatures and people of the Pacific to achieve our common goals.”

The project “is a reflection of Japan’s long-standing interest and desire to support parliamentary democracy and good governance amongst our small island countries”, said Fijian Speaker of Parliament Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu.

“The Pacific occupies a significant portion of the Earth’s surface, in fact an ocean region covering nearly 20 per cent of the planet.

“Our ocean may be the largest, but we are amongst some of the smallest and most vulnerable countries in the world.

“We need robust legislatures to respond to these challenges.”

Dawn Del Rio, UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji Resident Representative said the project was a significant step towards achieving more inclusive and democratic governance in the Pacific region.

“Legislatures play a critical role in ensuring that the voices of citizens are heard that public resources are allocated fairly and transparently, and that policies are aligned with the needs of the people.”

The project will start in April 2023, and is expected to run for four years.