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The World Bank has made a new commitment that is expected to deliver up to 10,000 new Fijian jobs through Jobs for Nature initiative.

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors have approved $106 million in support for unemployment assistance.

The additional financing for the World Bank’s Fiji Social Protection COVID-19 Response and System Development Project will support the creation of jobs for Fijians through the JFN2 initiative.

The project will also cover two rounds of government cash assistance delivered in 2021 to more than 340,000 Fijians who had lost their jobs in the formal or informal employment – as a result of the pandemic.

The package will also support the strengthening of Fiji’s social protection system.

World Bank Resident Representative for the South Pacific, Lasse Melgaard says with this additional funding, they are further boosting support to Fiji’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the systems and processes needed to assist Fijians, while simultaneously bolstering our disaster and climate resilience.

Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says Fiji’s ongoing recovery must not only reclaim the jobs and economic activity stolen by the pandemic, it must reset course for inclusive, sustainable, and resilient development.

Sayed-Khaiyum says this funding support will go directly to continuing their multi-sector work that began last year to strengthen the resilience of Fiji’s most climate vulnerable communities and households.

The JFN2 cash-for-work program aims to create jobs for Fijians in rural areas and will be delivered with the support of Fijian village cooperatives and civil society groups, including women’s and youth groups.