The three-day 2024 Fiji-Australia and Australia-Fiji Business Councils Joint Forum, described by Australia-Fiji Business Council president Allison Haworth West as “the most significant event for the year in bilateral trade between Australia and Fiji,” concluded successfully yesterday.
In her closing remarks, Ms. West summarized the presentations from the day and expressed gratitude to the organizers and attendees for the successful forum. She encouraged those not yet members to join and reminded existing members of next year’s forum, which will take place in Australia.
“People connections are fundamental to business, as demonstrated by the interactions in the room over the past few days,” Ms. West stated, highlighting the extensive networking that had occurred. She noted the excellent communication and dialogue between governments and individuals, pointing out recurring themes such as migration, infrastructure, and education.
Vera Chute, president of the Fiji-Australia Business Council, also shared a recap of the event, which began with a dinner on Thursday night. She expressed hope that attendees gained valuable insights during the information-rich event.
Ms. Chute highlighted that Australian Deputy High Commissioner Ms. Clair McNamara announced new grant agreements valued at F$157.3 million for Fiji, aimed at addressing the priorities across the five pillars of the Vuvale partnership. Additionally, over F$232 million in loans and grant financing has been secured from the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for investments in aviation, transport, maritime, energy, and climate change.
Investment Fiji chair Jenny Seeto mentioned that an investment of approximately $500 million could boost Fiji’s growth to five percent, while Australian Trade Commissioner for the Pacific Tim Houghton presented the infrastructure opportunities in Fiji valued at $750 million (F$1.65 billion).
While discussions centered on significant financial figures, delegates were reminded by Westpac Pacific managing director Emma Low to prioritize and invest in people. This message was further echoed by Kelera Cavuilati from MDF, who shared case studies of her projects with local communities, and Marc McElrath from McDonald’s Fiji, who emphasized the importance of good governance.
The forum attracted over 200 delegates over its three-day span.