[Photo: Supplied]

Fiji is calling on larger and wealthier ocean panel member countries to lead by driving investments in the global ocean economy.

Speaking on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum Chair Voreqe Bainimarama, Fiji’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Satyendra Prasad says this can be done through cutting edge partnerships; innovations in attracting private sector investments into the blue economy and supporting countries to overcome the constraints that they face.

He was speaking at the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy side-event this morning.

Prasad highlights that we are building a highly sustainable blue economy with every dollar we can muster.

He adds for large ocean states such as Fiji and those in the Pacific, blue finance is development finance.

Prasad urged larger partners in the Panel such as Canada, UK and France to work with everyone to incentivize the private sectors, superannuation funds, and other financial institutions to place their investments behind ocean solutions.

He adds Fiji will continue to pursue every possible avenue to unlock what finance exists.