Kreetika Kumar 
[Photo Credit: Ministry of Finance/ Facebook]
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Finance, and Governor for Fiji to the Asian Development Bank Professor Biman Prasad has called for deeper and more meaningful regional integration.
Prasad participated in the 35th Pacific Developing Member Countries Governors’ Meeting held on the margins of the ADB Annual Meeting in Milan.
Professor Prasad proposed bold steps such as a visa-free Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand to enable greater movement of people and ideas, investment, and harmonisation of policies, laws, and regulations to foster regional solidarity and cooperation.
Professor Prasad led the discussion on private sector development, highlighting the distinct challenges faced by the Pacific and advocating for a differentiated approach tailored to the region’s context.
He proposed a relook at ADB’s Private Sector Window to ensure it is fit-for-purpose for Pacific needs, including a stronger focus on downstream support and the placement of more technical specialists on the ground to support project implementation.
The Deputy Prime Minister conveyed appreciation to ADB for its growing engagement in the region and reaffirmed Fiji’s commitment to working with development partners to build a stronger, more dynamic, and resilient Pacific.
The meeting brought together Finance Ministers and Heads of Delegation from 13 Pacific nations, who engaged in a high-level dialogue with the ADB President and senior management.
They deliberated on pressing regional and global issues, including the growing uncertainty arising from tariff escalations, geopolitical conflicts, and persistent climate threats.
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