The United Nations has commended the Fijian Government for a bold and courageous budget.

The United Nations has commended the Fijian Government for a bold and courageous budget.

Resident Coordinator Sanaka Samarasinha says the Government considered recommendations from the UN socio-economic impact assessment on COVID-19.

The study looked into Health, Education, Food Security, Social Protection, Employment, and Macro Economics.

Samarasinha adds they also tapped into social cohesion and fragmentation of communities during this crisis.

“We are facing very difficult circumstances here in the Pacific. There is a tendency of people to think that borrowing in and of itself is bad but we know that is not the case around the world. Countries are borrowing. They need to borrow. The important thing is to be able to access concessionary finance as much as possible. It’s also an area where the UN and other international organizations like the World Bank, ADB, and IMF are helping the government of Fiji.”

Samarasinha says Fiji needs to build a stronger economy that can slowly diversify and be inclusive.

“I am very optimistic that once the budget is debated and eventually a budget is passed in Parliament that we would work very closely with the government on the necessary policy to implement programmes that make the economy of this country more inclusive.”

The consolidated report was presented to the Government during the consultation process prior to the announcement of the budget.