Prime Minister (PM) of Fiji Frank Bainimarama has assured all member countries in the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) that PIDF will be fruitful under the leadership of the new Chairperson Manasseh Sogavare.
“Honourable Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, we have every confidence that PIDF will continue to advance a Green Blue Economy for the Pacific under the leadership of Solomon Islands, and we pledge you our full support,” he said this week.
He said the transition to a Green Blue Economy is a long-term challenge.
“Therefore we and the rest of the world will need to persevere and spare no effort as we move towards more efficient use and conservation of natural resources and greater respect for our beloved ocean.
“This is how we will guarantee the livelihood of future generations in the Pacific and the rest of the world.
“As we in PIDF know all too well, it is a collective challenge that States and private actors must assume together.
“We must develop strategies and embrace approaches to business, trade, infrastructure, energy, food production and employment that enshrine efficiency in the use of resources and minimise waste.
“To make the transition to a Green Blue economy, we will need framework conditions for innovation and a strong voluntary commitment from the business community, the scientific community and civil society. It is PIDF’s role to ensure that the measures promoting the Green Blue Economy are put in place,” Bainimarama stressed.
“The ten priorities we had previously adopted as leaders provide a very broad mandate. As we deliberate on the Strategic Plan before us, I urge you to consider an even stronger focus on those specific aspects that will strengthen the PIDF’s unique role of harnessing the means to develop Green Blue Economies in the Pacific. This includes the reinvigoration of collaborative partnerships that accelerate climate action and oceanic conservation as part of the sustainable development in the Pacific,” he continued.
“Such a concentration will not only allow us to pick off some low-hanging fruit before gradually expanding to the other remaining priorities.
“It will also be the most practical way to achieve more with less as we develop the steps we will need to take to meet accreditation guidelines that will allow us to access multilateral funding through global partnerships,” the Fijian leader elaborated further.
“We have a challenging agenda ahead of us. Let’s have constructive discussions today, as we always do, as we strengthen and broaden the foundation for our historic regional cooperation,” the Fiji PM concluded.
By AATAI JOHN
