Alitia Bainivalu, the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, has been designated as the advocacy champion for the Commonwealth Living Lands Charter, also known as the Commonwealth Call to Action on Living Lands (CALL) strategy. The CALL was officially endorsed during the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting held in Kigali, Rwanda, in June 2022.
The initiative aims to protect global land resources while coordinating efforts to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation, including desertification. Additionally, it promotes sustainable and climate-resilient land management practices.
In her role, Ms. Bainivalu will collaborate with other advocacy champions, particularly from the Pacific region, including representatives from New Zealand, Tonga, Australia, and Samoa. She will also focus on supporting the CALL’s thematic working group dedicated to “Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and Climate Resilient Development.”