Shania Shayal Prasad 
President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu.
Pacific economies remain vulnerable to global disruptions, with rising costs and fragile trade links continuing to put pressure on households and governments.
Speaking at the 5th Pacific Islands Parliaments Group meeting, President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu said that while Pacific Island countries contribute little to global crises, they often suffer the most from their impacts.
He highlighted how COVID-19 exposed the region’s fragility, with trade disruptions, tariff wars, and supply chain shocks continuing to reverberate today.
Ratu Naiqama says these global storms have intensified the cost-of-living crisis across the Pacific, with Fiji feeling the effects through high inflation, rising fuel prices, and a heavy dependency on imports for essential goods.
The President states that these pressures not only strain national budgets but also deepen social challenges for ordinary families.
He is calling for stronger regional cooperation, saying small island states must stand together to amplify their voice in global forums and push for fairer trade and economic resilience measures.
According to Ratu Naiqama, collective Pacific action will be key to overcoming the challenges of a world economy increasingly defined by uncertainty.
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