Permanent Secretary for Trade, Co-operatives, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Communications, Shaheen Ali,

Development Partners,

Bula Vinaka and a good afternoon to you all.

It is a great pleasure to be with you this afternoon as we chart the strategic direction of the Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Communications—supported by you, our valued development partners.

On behalf of the Fijian Government, I sincerely thank you for your presence and for your enduring contribution to Fiji’s economic and social progress.

Partnership in Planning

Strategic planning is not done in isolation—it is born from collaboration. By aligning our development initiatives with national priorities, we create solutions that are contextual, scalable, and sustainable.

Your technical expertise, resources, and shared commitment to inclusive development are instrumental in crafting a strategic plan that is both ambitious and achievable, aligned with Vision 2050 and the National Development Plan 2025–2029. Through your active participation, this plan will integrate global best practices with Fiji’s unique needs, ensuring our priorities are not just aspirational—but inclusive, resilient, and results-focused.

A Roadmap for Transformation

The Ministry’s strategic direction over the next five years will be driven by five priority pillars:

1. Economic Diversification

• Expanding ICT, commercial agriculture, renewable energy, and the blue economy.
• Unlocking potential in kava, aquaculture, and medicinal cannabis as high-value emerging industries.
• Leveraging investments from Google and Starlink to fuel digital and economic connectivity.
• Strengthening trade ties through a revised Trade Policy Framework and ongoing work on a UAE-Pacific CEPA by September 2025.
• Deepening Fiji’s Vuvale and Duavata partnerships with Australia and New Zealand through high-level engagements and shared outcomes.

2. Ease of Doing Business

• Digitising government processes and reducing red tape.
• Automating approvals, permits, and compliance functions to create a truly pro-business environment.

3. Empowering MSMEs and Cooperatives

• Rolling out the MSME Strategic Plan to provide access to finance, advisory support, and formalisation.
• Supporting implementation of the Access to Business Funding Act.
• Revitalising the co-operative sector, especially in rural and maritime areas, to reduce poverty and promote shared prosperity.

4. Digital Transformation

• Bridging the digital divide through universal access and 5G rollout.
• Strengthening cybersecurity frameworks.
• Delivering Fiji’s first National E-Commerce Strategy and National Digital Strategy to drive innovation and inclusive participation in the digital economy.

5. Raising Standards and Regulations

• Aligning food safety, trade, and infrastructure standards with international benchmarks.
• Establishing Fiji as a regional centre of excellence in quality infrastructure and certification services.

From Planning to Shared Impact

This strategic plan—developed with the support of the Asian Development Bank—is a blueprint for action. But more importantly, it is an invitation to you—our development partners—to come on board and co-invest in Fiji’s future.

We are defining clear reform pathways, investment priorities, and digital transformation agendas. And we seek your support in areas such as:

• Digital infrastructure and service reform;
• Capacity-building for MSMEs, youth, and the public sector;
• Financing tools for underserved sectors;
• Support for standards development and implementation;
• And ongoing policy and technical guidance.

Together, we can turn this plan into a catalyst for systems change and real, measurable progress.

Call to Partnership

We cannot realise this vision alone. Your partnership is essential to turning strategy into impact.

We invite your support to:

• Scale up digital transformation—from infrastructure to enabling policy frameworks;
• Upskill MSMEs, youth, and public servants to ensure our people are ready for tomorrow’s economy;
• Develop inclusive financing mechanisms that reach the underserved and unlock private sector dynamism;
• Expand Fiji’s standards and certification capacity, enabling greater consumer trust and trade readiness;
• And provide the technical expertise and policy guidance that ensures our reforms are sustainable, inclusive, and globally benchmarked.

Let us work in lockstep—Government and development partners—to ensure this strategic plan is not just a document but a catalyst for meaningful, lasting change.

What We Hope to Achieve by 2030

If we implement this strategic plan successfully, then by 2030 we envision:

• A 5% growth trajectory built on diversified and resilient economic sectors;
• Thousands of new, well-paying jobs in high-value industries;
• A thriving digital economy, with inclusive access and secure online services;
• Fiji’s digital infrastructure rivaling the best in the region.
• Reduced skills loss and migration, with young Fijians choosing to build their future at home;
• Greater access to affordable housing, clean utilities, and smart public infrastructure;
• And an empowered MSME and co-operative sector, driving exports, innovation, and community-based development.

This is not a dream. With the right partnerships and commitment, it is our shared reality in the making.

Closing

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This is not just about rebuilding an economy—it is about reimagining a nation. Your continued partnership will ensure this plan doesn’t just sit on a shelf—it delivers for the Fijian people.

Together, let’s shape a legacy of opportunity, resilience, and transformation for this generation and the next.

May God bless our collective efforts, our nations, and our people.

Vinaka vakalevu, and thank you.