Pacific climate resilience and Fiji-Australia treaty developments

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is implementing initiatives to bolster economic resilience in the Pacific against climate change. GCF Executive Director Mafalda Duarte stated that investments are being designed to protect food security, livelihoods, and the critical tuna industry. A major initiative in partnership with Conservation International aims to improve fisheries systems, forecasting, and community access to tuna. This project, which is expected to benefit approximately 25 percent of the region’s population, will be executed by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) to ensure regional ownership and the use of local science.

In a separate diplomatic development, Fiji officials have addressed concerns regarding the proposed Vuvale Union Treaty with Australia. Dr. Raijeli Taga, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, assured the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence that the treaty will not compromise Fiji’s sovereignty. She emphasized that Fiji remains free to question Australia on climate change and carbon emissions, maintaining its foreign policy of ‘friends to all and enemies to none’ while elevating the bilateral relationship to a treaty level.