World Bank starts national consultations to map out strategy in Fiji

The development of the Country Partnership Framework marks the first time the Bank Group has developed a dedicated plan of its kind for Fiji.

The World Bank Group has started national consultations to map out its strategy in Fiji for the next four years for work to be undertaken by the World Bank and its sister organization, the International Finance Corporation, IFC.

Open to all Fijian people, as well as representatives from civil society organizations, academics, development partners, the private sector and key government ministries, the consultations will form the basis of the first-ever World Bank Group Country Partnership Framework for Fiji. It's a key working strategy document between the Fijian Government and the World Bank and IFC for the next four years.

"We see strong opportunities for the World Bank to work with Fiji particularly in infrastructure, disaster risk insurance, supporting reforms and building climate resilience, as well as analytical work in labor mobility, tourism and other areas that align with Fiji's national development plan," said the World Bank's Resident Representative for the South Pacific, Lasse Melgaard, based in the Bank Group's newly-established regional office in Suva.

"Fiji also has an important role to play as a hub for the region, so in that context, there is a broader interest here in getting it right for the wider Pacific family. Whether in person or online, we want to hear from you. Your insights will help us deliver the right kind of help in Fiji,"

The development of the Country Partnership Framework marks the first time the Bank Group has developed a dedicated plan of its kind for Fiji. The Bank Group undertakes consultations in countries around the globe in which it operates to help inform its strategies going forward – with the aim of aligning strategies with a country's own development plans.

"As our goal is to work with the private sector in emerging markets like Fiji to help meet development goals, we're keen to hear the views of Fijians from all walks of life," said IFC's Resident Representative for Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati and Tuvalu, Deva De Silva. "IFC's focus in Fiji has included bringing in the private sector to help improve public hospitals in Western Division, as well as providing people with affordable, climate-resilient, green housing, and helping ensure Fiji's farmers gain more benefits from the country's tourism industry. We believe there's more scope for the private sector to play a role in Fiji's development and would appreciate hearing from people."

Formal consultations are being carried out over the next two months and have so far been held with representatives from Fiji's civil society, NGOs, private sector, development partners and key government ministries.