‘Pacific need to prepare now for future crises’
FIJI and other Pacific states need to prepare now for future pandemics and natural disasters because of the vulnerability of the region to both crises.
This was the view expressed by United Nations resident co-ordinator in Fiji Sanaka Samarasinha during a media conference on Friday in Suva.
He said the solution could lie in diversifying economies and creativity in a COVID contained tourism environment.
“It will be too late to think about these things in a year or two years from now,” he said.
“The time is now. The cost will be too much, not just in terms of money but also in human life, if we don’t do that.
“One of the things we need to think about is, and the report sort of alludes to that, how do we do tourism differently in this part of the world.”
Mr Samarasinha was referring to the UN’s Socio-Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) report for Fiji.
“And first of all how can tourism itself be more resilient to future shocks.
“And what will tourism look like post COVID-19?
“Will there be less human to human interaction, for instance when people start coming?
“Do we need to start thinking about diversifying economies in countries that are highly dependent on tourism so that we don’t end up in the same situation.”
Mr Samarasinha also said reducing the carbon footprint should continue to be a focus for all Pacific states including Fiji, because of the vulnerability to natural disasters such as cyclones and rising sea levels caused by climate change.