Fiji and the UK Reaffirm Partnership on Climate, Capacity Building and People-To-People Ties

Fiji and the United Kingdom (UK) have reaffirmed their enduring friendship and their commitment to deepen cooperation on climate action, capacity building and people-to-people ties.

This was conveyed during a courtesy call on the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Ambassador Solo Mara, by the Acting British High Commissioner to Fiji, Mr Stephen Lysaght, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) headquarters in Suva on 05 November 2026.

PS Mara welcomed the opportunity to meet Acting High Commissioner Lysaght and spoke of a partnership built on shared history and lasting ties between our peoples. As 2026 marks 65 years of Fijian service in the British Army, both sides acknowledged the contribution of Fijians who have served in the British Armed Forces and discussed the UK’s initiatives to honour their service.

Climate change, and the central place of the ocean within it, featured prominently in the discussions. From the Pacific perspective, it was emphasised that the ocean is both a major carbon sink and an existential concern for the region, alongside the progress made in having the ocean reflected in core climate documents. Acting High Commissioner Lysaght reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to climate action and to continued advocacy at COP31 in Türkiye, including through its growing focus on climate security.

The discussions then turned to climate finance and the need for funding that reaches local communities. Both sides noted that the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) serve distinct and complementary purposes: the GEF supports large-scale financing, while the PRF is designed for smaller, community-level projects. The UK also outlined its engagement with multilateral partners to improve the delivery of climate finance.

The UK also reaffirmed its support for regional institutions, including its annual engagement with the Pacific Islands Forum, and outlined proposals to support capacity building. These include training for Fijian diplomats, senior leadership programmes, and skills support for service personnel transitioning from the British Army. PS Mara welcomed these offers, and both sides agreed to follow up on the detailed proposals.

Looking ahead, both sides discussed marking 2030 as a focal year to celebrate the modern UK–Fiji partnership. PS Mara reasserted Fiji’s commitment to further elevate cooperation at all levels through close collaboration between the Ministry, the British High Commission in Suva and Fiji’s High Commission in London, and expressed Fiji’s gratitude for the UK’s continued partnership in support of Fiji’s development goals.