The summit is the forum to discuss and shape Fiji’s long-term economic plans.

The 2024 National Summit will be held in the second half of the year to give sufficient time for national consultations.

This has been revealed by Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad.

Prasad says the summit is the forum to discuss and shape Fiji’s long-term economic plans.

However, Prasad does indicate that they do not see the summit as a forum to discuss economic measures for the coming year as they have a separate budget consultation process for that.

Government says it is putting a lot of time and effort into its new three-year, five-year and 20-year National Development Plan.

Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad

The minister says their aim is to ensure that Fiji has an economic and social plan that Fiji’s people have shaped and that they own.

He further indicates that in the three- and five-year plans, government is proposing to be getting its basics right.

He adds this includes steady water supply, improved roads, adequate health care, and improved education but the country may have other priorities and the government is open to this.

On the economy, Prasad says the economic growth for the 2024 is currently projected at slightly above three percent, which is not enough.

He is calling on everyone to try and do better and asking for bolder proposals to get Fiji onto a sustainable pathway of five percent annual growth through to 2030.