PS Dr Taga receives courtesy visit from the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development

The Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Dr Raijeli Taga welcomed the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Mr. Surya Deva, during a meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Suva, this morning.

The meeting was an avenue to exchange views on advancing the right to development, with particular focus on the Pacific led priorities and opportunities for strengthened international and regional cooperation.

It highlighted prospects for cooperation via the alternative development initiative centered on planet-focused, participatory, and inclusive approaches. Fiji is identified as a potential pilot country, with the intention that a successful model could be scaled regionally and globally. The initiative aligns with Fiji’s leadership role in areas of sustainable development and climate action.

Further, the Pacific’s deep-rooted connection between its people and the environment was acknowledged with emphasis that sustainable development in the region must address ecological and cultural dimensions concurrently.
Mr. Deva commended Fiji’s approach to advancing resilience and prosperity in the Pacific through the Fiji’s Oceans of Peace Initiative – as the foundational model for inclusive and equitable development.

Additionally, the meeting highlighted the need for development to be holistic by including rural and outer islands and to enhance all aspects of life on social, economic, cultural, and environmental development.

Both parties underscored the importance of revitalising global solidarity and safeguarding development financing for Small Island Development States (SIDS).
In conclusion, Mr. Deva indicated his intention to undertake an official country visit to Fiji in 2026 – as a platform to further engage with the national stakeholders and assess progress on the development.