Fiji’s Finance Minister, Professor Biman Prasad Thursday emphasised the significance of the two-days Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM) starting in Suva today.
“This meeting is always a significant one. It involves not just Finance ministers but also Foreign ministers, and their decisions will feed into the choices made by Forum Leaders. The challenges faced by many countries in the Pacific are very similar, particularly the impact of climate change, which directly affects our economies and physical positions.”
Prasad noted the progress made by Pacific countries post-COVID-19, including Fiji, which is emerging from economic contraction.
However, he cautioned that international economic headwinds remain a concern.
“We are making progress post-COVID,” he said.
“Many of the countries are getting out of the contraction they experienced, including Fiji. But we are mindful that international headwinds remain.”
Looking ahead, Prasad pointed to the upcoming COP29 conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, as a key event for the region.
“I think COP29 is going to be a significant event,” he told journalists at the Forum Secretariat in Suva.
“Pacific Economic Ministers are hoping to work towards a foundational framework that will allow Pacific countries to access critical climate finance for our development and to address the fundamental challenges posed by climate change,” he said.
The FEMM meeting will end on Friday.
