Fiji will hold its inaugural Government Communications Conference later this month, the Ministry of Information announced on Wednesday, unveiling plans to launch a new national communications framework and a guidebook aimed at strengthening how official information is produced and shared.
Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change Lynda Tabuya told Parliament the conference will launch Sautu, the new national communications framework, alongside the Government Communications Guidebook. “The theme is simple but powerful — Coordinate, Collaborate, Elevate,” Ms Tabuya said, describing the twin initiatives as central to shaping an information environment that promotes “not confusion and not division, but truth, unity and responsible dialogue.”
Tabuya said the iTaukei word “sautu,” which she defined as representing peace, harmony and well‑being, captures the intended spirit of the framework. The guidebook and Sautu framework are presented by the ministry as tools to harmonise messaging across government agencies and encourage responsible public communication ahead of the conference.
The minister acknowledged external and local support for the work. She paid tribute to the Government Communications Services of the United Kingdom, saying the UK agency had collaborated with the ministry “for a number of years” in developing the guidebook and supporting the upcoming summit. Tabuya added that a memorandum of understanding to renew that formal relationship is still being finalised. “We are yet to sign the MOU on the renewal of this relationship, but I acknowledge their support in this conference that we will be hosting, and in the development of this Communications Guidebook called Sautu,” she said.
Tabuya also thanked local colleagues for their contributions to improving Fiji’s information environment, arguing that official communications play a central role in shaping public belief and behaviour. “While information shapes what our people believe, the environment shapes how people live and survive,” she told MPs.
The government has positioned the conference as a first-of-its-kind national effort to better coordinate public sector communication, though details such as the full attendee list, exact date, venue and the programme for the summit were not provided in Wednesday’s statement. Officials say the guidebook and framework will be launched at the conference, which is intended to set standards for messaging and collaboration among ministries and agencies.
As the launch approaches, the conference will be watched for how it translates the Sautu principles into practical guidance for government communicators and whether the pending MOU with the UK’s communications service is finalised to deepen technical support.
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