Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum called on the entire United Nations system to use their convening power to align affordable, accessible and effective development finance with the urgency of the climate emergency.

He pleaded this week in a virtual meeting with United Nations Under-Secretary-General, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Deputy Administrator and Director of the UNDP Asia-Pacific Regional Office, Kanni Wignaraja.

During the discussion, the GA highlighted Fiji’s response to COVID-19 and potential areas of support that UNDP could provide to enable a swift and inclusive post-COVID recovery.

He mentioned Fiji’s intention to stimulate public-private investment in economic diversification by creating a sustainable blue economy.

The GA acknowledged the support of UNDP in helping Fiji to structure and issue a multi-sector blue bond in collaboration with the UK government and stressed the need to ensure that marginalized groups such as fishermen and micro-marine enterprises are supported.

Ms. Wignaraja praised Fiji’s foresight and willingness to innovate in their COVID-19 recovery efforts and welcomed the opportunity to work on improving access to justice, developing climate and disaster risk financing solutions and supporting climate change adaptation and resilience efforts.

The GA welcomed UNDP’s offer of support in these areas and added the need for assistance to improve data-driven socio-economic assistance to Fijians to minimize the ramifications of COVID-19 and its associated blockages. .

Follow-up meetings would be organized at a technical level between the government and UNDP to operationalize the potential and accelerate current areas of mutual collaboration.