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Multilateralism will enable innovative solutions and accelerate global efforts on economic, financial, environmental and social strategies for recovery. This was the key message at a recently concluded Commonwealth COVID 19 Virtual Leaders Meeting which was attended by about 44 Commonwealth member states, 6 Heads of Government, 5 Foreign Ministers and senior officials as well as High Commissioners accredited to the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Fiji was among other Pacific island countries namely Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, Kiribati, and Vanuatu that participated in this meeting organised in response to a number of requests received from member states, to have the opportunity to share experiences, learning’s and initiate solutions to mitigate the impacts of COVID19.
Member countries were invited to share their respective experiences on: Technology, Trade and Finance, Climate change and promoting tolerance and social cohesion.
In providing Fiji’s interventions at this meeting, Fiji’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Mr Jitoko Tikolevu emphasised the double burden challenges faced by Small Island States in addressing the impacts of climate change and COVID19.
He spoke on the unprecedented commitment of the Fijian government to protect the lives of Fijian families that led Fiji to being COVID contained. He told the forum that Fiji was working collaboratively and progressively to revive the Fijian economy and livelihoods by seeking opportunities for trade and investment with international partners. He also spoke on Fiji’s commitment to work with its development partners to restrategise strategies to attract investment and integrate the blue-green growth policies and promote investments in climate smart activities.
High Commissioner Tikolevu spoke on the recently announced “Phase 2” of Fiji’s COVID-Safe Economic Recovery that saw the launch of Fiji’s pioneer careFIJI App, a powerful new tool that allows relevant authorities to notify users if they are exposed to the coronavirus.
This concurred well with the Commonwealth’s call on the need to have robust digital readiness, Technology governance and Innovation to tackle the impacts of COVID19.
Commonwealth Members agreed to also work together to advance digital technology and share knowledge and learning’s on connectivity tools.
High Commissioner Tikolevu emphasised on the need for climate oriented solutions, to restrategise the SDG’s, taking into account the social, economic, environmental dynamics posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) members highlighted the importance of advocating debt relief and requested the Secretariat to lobby with multilateral bodies to relook at devising strategies in assisting countries in addressing this challenge. This has reaffirmed the increasing need for collaboration in the international community. Such debt relief efforts will certainly reduce member states debt burden.
SIDS mutually agreed that the economic impact of this pandemic is immensely disproportionate for them due to the rapid downward shift of commodity prices as a direct result of the contraction in economic activities.
The meeting also heard the importance of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in enhancing our national development efforts through Infrastructure establishment, commodity development, promoting entrepreneurship (MSMEs) and ensuring effective and efficient economic activities.
Members agreed that Recovery efforts would be greatly supported through collaboration, Aid, sharing of leanings as well as interventions such as: Debt service suspension, Debt swap and even Debt write-off/cancellation. This will further be advanced effectively through Trade, Diversification, and re-engineering core services.
The members also saw countries reaffirming their commitment to the implementation of the Paris Agreement as well as the Agenda 2030-SDGs. Cascading from this; countries also reinforced the importance of advancing the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) commitments.
The meeting highlighted that it was important that social issues such as Human Rights, and advocacy of persons living with disabilities, displaced, marginalised and vulnerable groups are given equal focus and priority.
The meeting concluded with member states highlighting the significance of developing effective and relevant Post COVID Recovery Plans, and the Commonwealth family working together to ensure the establishment and implementation of such plans to safeguard their communities and their planet.
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| Fiji’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Mr. Jitoko Tikolevu while speaking at recently concluded Commonwealth COVID 19 Virtual Leaders Meeting |
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