Fiji is positioning itself at the forefront of Pacific digital transformation as it hosts the inaugural Pacific Cyber Week, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Communications Manoa Kamikamica said at the event’s opening at the Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort.
Kamikamica described connectivity and digital transformation as “enablers of inclusive growth and sustainable development,” and said Fiji’s recently launched National Digital Strategy (NDS) — unveiled in April — maps the country’s shift toward a digitally empowered society and an innovation-driven economy. He highlighted specific NDS targets: growing the ICT sector’s share of GDP to 10 percent (from 4.2 percent in 2022), creating more than 40,000 new jobs through expanded access to the digital economy, attracting over US$100 million in investment, and empowering micro, small and medium enterprises and startups via digital entrepreneurship.
Recent infrastructure gains are already changing the landscape, Kamikamica said. Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites have extended meaningful connectivity to remote and maritime communities, while the landing earlier this year of the Google Bulikula and Tabua subsea cables has strengthened Fiji’s role as a regional digital hub. The government is also pushing the digitalFIJI programme to make public services more accessible and efficient through digitalisation.
At the same time, Kamikamica warned that meeting these ambitions requires a secure and resilient cyberspace. Fiji has been developing complementary cybersecurity measures — including work on a national cybersecurity strategy and the establishment of a national Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) — and has ratified international frameworks such as the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. Regional partnerships with neighbours and partners are also supporting capacity building and incident-response cooperation.
Pacific Cyber Week brings together cybersecurity leaders and policymakers from Pacific Islands Forum members and other Blue Pacific representatives to discuss cybersecurity, capacity building and regional cooperation. The conference runs through Thursday.
Additional comments and context for editors:
– Why this matters: Improved connectivity and subsea cable landings can accelerate economic opportunities for remote communities, boost exports of digital services, and attract regional investment — but those gains depend on robust cyber defenses, workforce skills and regulatory frameworks.
– Practical angles to follow up: progress on Fiji’s CERT operationalisation, timelines and funding for the National Cybersecurity Strategy, measurable steps for the NDS employment and investment targets, and how subsea cable capacity is being commercialised for local businesses.
– Suggested headlines: “Fiji Champions Regional Digital Growth as Pacific Cyber Week Opens” or “Kamikamica: Connectivity and Cybersecurity Key to Fiji’s Digital Future.”
– Suggested tags: Fiji, cybersecurity, digital transformation, National Digital Strategy, subsea cable, LEO satellite, Pacific Cyber Week.
Short summary:
Fiji opened the inaugural Pacific Cyber Week as it pushes a National Digital Strategy aiming to grow the ICT sector, create jobs, and attract investment. Infrastructure gains — LEO satellite connectivity and the Google Bulikula and Tabua subsea cables — are positioning Fiji as a regional digital hub, while efforts to strengthen cybersecurity, including a national strategy and CERT development and international cooperation, aim to safeguard those gains and support inclusive digital growth.
Hopeful perspective:
Fiji’s combined focus on connectivity, government digital services and cybersecurity creates a strong foundation for sustainable, inclusive economic growth. If the targets in the National Digital Strategy are realised and cybersecurity measures keep pace, Fiji could not only boost local opportunities but serve as a regional model for digital transformation across the Pacific.
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