Fiji has called on Commonwealth countries to move beyond climate finance commitments and deliver affordable funding for vulnerable small states, warning that reliance on loans is adding to their debt pressures.
Fiji’s Prime Minister’s Special Envoy and Head of Delegation to the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, made the call at the Commonwealth Ministerial Meeting on Small States in Antigua and Barbuda.
Addressing the meeting, held under the theme “Scaling Up Partnerships and Investment for Resilient Small States”, Kubuabola highlighted the growing financial challenges facing Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
He said nearly 40 percent of SIDS were either experiencing debt distress or at high risk of debt distress, while 44 per cent of adaptation financing continued to be delivered through loans.
Kubuabola said small states needed practical financing solutions that would improve access to affordable development and climate finance without increasing their debt burdens.
He highlighted Fiji’s experience in developing innovative financing mechanisms, including becoming the first developing country to issue a sovereign green bond and the first Pacific country to issue a sovereign blue bond.
Kubuabola also reaffirmed Fiji’s US$10 million commitment to the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF), a Pacific-led financing mechanism designed to provide grants directly to communities.
He called on Commonwealth members to increase their support for the facility, which aims to strengthen community resilience without adding to national debt.
The Commonwealth Ministerial Meeting on Small States is held every two years and provides a platform for member countries to discuss common development challenges and strengthen partnerships.
The meeting is part of the wider 2026 CHOGM programme, where Fiji is also expected to advance regional perspectives on sustainable development, climate finance and economic inequalities.
The 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting concludes on 4 November.
