News

Discussions underway in safely re-opening national entry points

August 4, 2020 6:18 am

Asian Development Bank logo. [File Photo]

The United Nations and the Asian Development Bank is leading discussions on strategies to ensure the regional economy bounces back on track.

The virtual meeting held yesterday witnessed the participation of Fiji and five other regional countries on multi-sectoral considerations and assistance to safely reopen national entry points.

UN Resident Coordinator Sanaka Samarasinha says the UN-ADB among other international agencies are willing to render technical and to a certain extent, financial assistance to ensure these plans are executed effectively.

Article continues after advertisement

These include the establishment of clear protocols targeting pre-border, at border and post-border opening for both air and sea transport.

“If you’re an airline you can’t just abide by the standard of one country because the flight is going to another country too. So you need to have an agreement between the two countries to have protocols and standards that are acceptable to both countries. And these kinds of roundtable is to actually prepare the countries to have the minimum the standards that are acceptable to the country within and beyond the region.”

Permanent Secretary for Immigration Yogesh Karan says strengthening bilateral or multilateral relations is critical in a bid to achieve these goals.

However, safety and relevant procedures need to be established before opening the borders to lure tourists.

“So in terms of the knowledge and literature around COVID-19, UN comes in handy because it’s very easy for us to make reference or seek advice from them. Globally, they’ve done an impact study for Fiji which we had meeting week before last and the kind of response which is required and most of it has been reflected in our national budget.”

Similar roundtable and virtual meetings are planned for Samoa, Niue, Cook Island and Tokelau.