Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad (left), Australia’s Acting High Commissioner to Fiji, Stuart Watts. [Source: Fiji Government]

The Pacific Islands are witnessing an unprecedented era of cooperation, fuelled in large part by the unwavering support of Australia and New Zealand.

This was highlighted by Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad as he expressed his optimism about this newfound collaboration, particularly with Australia, which aims to advance the interests of Fiji and other Pacific nations.

“We’ve had a lot of support from Australia in international forums and as a result of their advocacy and support, many Pacific Island countries including Fiji have been able to get a lot of support and understanding in terms of the issues that confront us.”

Finance Minister, Professor Biman Prasad. 

Prasad lauded Australia for its steadfast commitment, revealing that over the past three years, the regional giant has provided an impressive $290 million in budget support to Fiji.

The Finance Minister states that this enduring cooperation has been instrumental in addressing crucial areas such as healthcare, education, private sector growth, climate change mitigation, infrastructure development, humanitarian response, and various government initiatives.