Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad, recently met with the World Bank’s Managing Director of Operations, Ms. Anna Bjerde, in Washington, D.C. This meeting was focused on advancing Fiji’s long-term development strategy through the ongoing collaboration between Fiji and the World Bank.
During the discussions, Professor Prasad expressed gratitude for Ms. Bjerde’s prior visit to Fiji, noting it reinforced the strong partnership between the country and the World Bank. He emphasized the importance of understanding Fiji’s specific priorities and challenges to enhance cooperative efforts.
A central topic of their conversation was Fiji’s Vision 2050, which aspires to transform the nation into a developed, resilient, and inclusive economy. This vision includes significant infrastructure investments in connectivity, energy, education, sanitation, healthcare, and water, crucial for establishing Fiji as a regional hub.
Professor Prasad acknowledged the World Bank’s sustained support for various initiatives, including the Critical Bridges Resilience Project, the Pacific Healthy Islands Transformation (PHIT) Project, the Correspondent Banking Relationship Project, and the Accelerating Trade Facilitation in the Pacific Project. He noted that policy-based loans from the Bank have positively impacted Fiji’s reform efforts and improved coordination among its ministries.
Highlighting the challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS), he pointed out the urgent need for better access to climate finance and integrating climate resilience into all development programs supported by multilateral organizations.
Ms. Bjerde reaffirmed the commitment of the World Bank to Fiji, pointing out its growing leadership in the region and the ambitious goal of transforming from an aid recipient to a development partner over the next 25 years. She emphasized the importance of addressing some implementation gaps in major projects, including the Vanua Levu Tourism Development Project and called for expedited progress on the Critical Bridges Resilience Project.
The meeting also touched upon the alignment of education reforms and infrastructure development with Fiji’s labor market requirements and national priorities. Ms. Bjerde confirmed that the World Bank is prepared to assist with reforms in the education sector following the completion of the Education Commission review.
This assurance of ongoing support and collaboration shines a hopeful light on Fiji’s development path, particularly as it tackles the unique challenges posed by climate change and strives to create a prosperous future for its citizens.
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