The Government has reinforced its push to expand youth development and strengthen sporting pathways across Fiji, unveiling several new initiatives at a national sports gathering and outlining fresh partnerships to boost employment and counselling support for young people.
Assistant Minister for Youth and Sports Aliki Bia told Parliament on March 9 that the recently held National Sports Conference brought together sports leaders and stakeholders to map ways to improve athlete development “from community-level participation through to elite competition.” The conference also served as the launch platform for the Drug-Free Sport Fiji logo, a visual commitment by the ministry to promote clean, fair competition and to heighten anti-doping awareness across grassroots and elite levels.
Infrastructure upgrades formed another pillar of the ministry’s announcements. Construction is due to begin on a multi-purpose hardcourt and an accompanying community sports ground in Rotuma, projects the ministry says are aimed at increasing youth participation in sport and supporting healthier lifestyles on the northern island. The Rotuma works follow earlier ministry plans to expand facilities in communities with limited access to courts and fields, and are being framed as part of a broader push to give young athletes better opportunities closer to home.
Beyond facilities and clean-sport messaging, the ministry highlighted new cross-sector collaborations intended to broaden youth prospects outside the playing field. A partnership with Social Innovation Fiji will connect young people with employment opportunities, targeting the transition from sport and training into the workforce. In a complementary move, the Pacific Australia Skills Program will work with the ministry to deliver counselling training for youth officers, equipping frontline staff to better support young people facing personal or social challenges.
The announcements build on recent ministry discussions about embedding education and skills development into sports programming and governance reforms designed to give athletes broader support beyond competition. Officials say the combined focus on facilities, anti-doping education, and workforce linkages is intended to create a more rounded development pathway that keeps young people engaged and prepares them for life after sport.
Looking further ahead, Bia confirmed Fiji will take part in Expo 2027 in Belgrade, where the country plans to showcase its national identity through sport, music and youth creativity. The participation is being presented as an opportunity to elevate Fiji’s cultural and sporting profile internationally, and to spotlight the work being done to nurture young talent.
Bia told Parliament continued investment in youth programmes and sports development remains vital to building “a stronger and more resilient nation.” The ministry’s latest moves—combining infrastructure, anti-doping initiatives and partnerships for skills and counselling—mark a coordinated effort to widen the role of sport in youth development and economic opportunity.
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