More than 200 delegates from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and various regions of Fiji gathered at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva from Thursday to Saturday last week for the 28th Fiji-Australia Business Council (FABC) and Australia-Fiji Business Council (AFBC) Joint Business Forum.
This year’s event boasted the highest number of delegates in the history of FABC and AFBC forums, bringing together government representatives, development professionals, business leaders, industry experts, consultants, economists, and academics for a significant networking opportunity.
Fiji’s forum featured speeches from three key ministers: Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Speaker of Parliament Lenora Salusalu Qereqeretabua, Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration Pio Tikoduadua, and Acting Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica, who also officially opened the event and participated throughout.
FABC President Vera Chute expressed her enthusiasm about the turnout, stating, “We exceeded our expectations for the number of delegates registered for our signature event organized annually by FABC and AFBC.” She emphasized that such participation reflects the strong ties between Australia and Fiji, as well as the opportunity to tackle shared challenges.
Senator Tim Ayres addressed the forum via live link, and Australia’s Acting High Commissioner Clair McNamara conveyed similar sentiments regarding the robust partnership and the shared responsibility to create a resilient and prosperous economic future for the Pacific.
Acting High Commissioner McNamara highlighted the significance of the renewed Vuvale Partnership, which was established in October 2023 and aligns with the forum’s theme, “New Challenges, New Solutions.” She mentioned that over the past ten months, they had signed new grant agreements totaling $F157.3 million to support projects across all partnership pillars.
Experts at the forum presented on various topics, including Fiji’s participation in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), which includes 40% of the world’s GDP and one-third of global trade. Fiji is notably the only Pacific island country involved in this agreement.
Investment Fiji reported that existing projects in Fiji’s infrastructure sector are valued at up to $F6 billion, while Austrade provided a database of 104 infrastructure projects worth $F1.7 billion available from six procuring agencies in Fiji.
Other topics discussed included Fiji’s Immigration Reform aimed at attracting investors and the entry of major companies like Starlink and Google, which plans to build a $F200 million Data Hub. The potential growth in the BPO sector, commercial agriculture, renewable energy, and climate solutions were also key discussion points.
In tourism, it was reported that July 2024 is expected to be the busiest month for tourism arrivals in Fiji. Additionally, the Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu, funded by the World Bank, has commenced its first phase.
AFBC President Allison Haworth West concluded the forum by emphasizing the importance of personal connections in business. She encouraged attendees to look forward to the next forum hosted by AFBC in Australia in 2025, inviting everyone to continue building on the momentum generated during this event.
The FABC and AFBC expressed their gratitude to sponsors who supported the Joint Business Forum, including Westpac, Fiji Airways, Swire Shipping, Vodafone, Joyce Aviation Group, Value City, Comfort Home Furnishing, and Aquasafe, as well as media partners The Fiji Times and FBC.