CHOGM | Fiji Advocates for Practical Climate and Development Financing and Partnerships at Commonwealth Ministerial Meeting on Small States

The Fiji delegation to the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), led by the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy and Head of Delegation, His Excellency Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, participated in the Commonwealth Ministerial Meeting on Small States (CMMSS) held in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda.

Held under the theme, “Scaling Up Partnerships and Investment for Resilient Small States,” the biannual meeting provided an important platform for Commonwealth member countries to discuss shared development challenges and strengthen partnership.

Delivering Fiji’s national statement, H.E. Ratu Inoke Kubuabola underscored the need to move beyond advocacy towards practical solutions that improve access to affordable development and climate finance for vulnerable small states. He noted that nearly 40 per cent of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are either experiencing debt distress or are at high risk of debt distress, while 44 per cent of adaptation financing continues to be delivered through loans, placing additional pressure on already constrained economies.

H.E. Kubuabola highlighted Fiji’s leadership in pioneering innovative financing mechanisms, including the issuance of the world’s first sovereign green bond by a developing country and the Pacific’s first sovereign blue bond.

He also reaffirmed Fiji’s commitment of US$10 million to the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF), a Pacific-led financing mechanism that provides grants directly to communities without increasing national debt burdens. In this regard, he renewed Fiji’s call for greater support from Commonwealth member states to investing in the Facility.

The Commonwealth Ministerial and Leaders’ segments will continue over the coming days, providing further opportunities for Fiji to share national and regional perspectives, while advancing common priorities with fellow Commonwealth members on sustainable development and efforts to address persistent development and wealth disparities across the Commonwealth.

H.E. Ratu Inoke Kubuabola is accompanied by H.E. Jovilisi Suveinakama, Fiji’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland; Mr Vueti May, Acting Director Multilateral Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade; and Mr Maciu Ratu, Second Secretary, Fiji High Commission in London.

The 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting will formally conclude on 4 November 2026.