The Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management (MRMDDM) has commenced a three-day planning session for the 2024–2025 fiscal year. The workshop, themed “Reaching New Levels of Excellence in all areas of our operations,” aims to bolster the Ministry’s service delivery across the nation by reviewing and improving the monitoring of its Annual Costed Operation plans, ensuring they are closely linked to the Division’s Business Plans as outlined in its current 10-year Strategic Development Plan.
Permanent Secretary for MRMDDM, Mr. Isoa Talemaibua, emphasized the importance of the workshop in refining the Ministry’s strategies and operations. He expressed his hopes for a “significant increase in efficiency” across all sectors, including finance, logistics, human resources, capital program implementation, approvals, and customer services.
Mr. Talemaibua also highlighted the need for proactive measures to develop resilient and sustainable communities, reinforcing partnerships while upholding the Ministry’s core values of diversity, commitment, planning, purposeful actions, clear communication, capacity building, integration, and collaboration.
He acknowledged the UNDP Governance for Resilience (Gov4Res) Project team’s support and participation. The UNDP has been instrumental in supporting the Ministry’s initiatives, aiming to advance the sustainable development objectives outlined in the Ministry’s strategic plans.
“Significant changes have taken place in the Ministry’s development program in recent years, aided by UNDP’s support,” he noted. These advancements include the development of the Strategic Development Plan, the Risk-Informed Development project, and the creation of a Rural Development Database through investments in technology.
Ms. Nicola Glendining, project manager for Gov4Res, praised the Ministry’s collaboration, asserting that the 10-year Strategic Development Plan they developed serves as a benchmark for risk-informed subnational development in the Pacific region. Earlier this year, a FJ$1.5 million agreement was signed to renew the strategic partnership between the UNDP and MRMDDM, aiming to integrate risk-informed practices into Fiji’s community infrastructure.
This partnership was made possible with contributions from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Korea International Cooperation Agency, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The session will involve senior officials, managers, district officers, provincial administrators, and key Ministry personnel. This workshop signifies the first evaluation of the 10-year plan since its launch in 2021, with assessments scheduled to take place every two years.