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Fiji/EU end high level negotiations

October 29, 2020 4:50 pm

European Union Ambassador to Fiji Sujiro Seam and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

Fiji and the European Union have ended two days of high-level political negotiations on support packages to help COVID-19 recovery.

Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and European Union Ambassador to Fiji Sujiro Seam today provided an update on the talks.

Sayed-Khaiyum says Fiji during the virtual meeting has renewed calls for help in economic recovery.

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“The existing support available to small, developing states falls well short of what is necessary to ensure that we are part and parcel of the global recovery. WE expressed the urgency of the EU’s next round of IDA financing through the World Bank.”

EU Ambassador to Fiji Sujiro Seam says it’s time to expand the current scope of programmes which primarily focus on climate change.

“It doesn’t mean that they become secondary. We will still work on sustainable development, climate and oceans but we are now ready to work on other issues and put more emphasis on business, economy, trade and defence and security.”

Seam adds there need to be ongoing discussions to better understand the COVID-19 recovery needs of Fiji and the Pacific.