British Second Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign Nick Dyer (left), Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad

More concessional resources are crucial for vulnerable Small Island Developing States like Fiji in addressing climate change.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad, emphasized this during his meeting with Nick Dyer, the British Second Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in Morocco.

The meeting took place on the side-lines of the 2023 World Bank and IMF Annual Meeting in Marrakech.

Prasad discusses the need to strengthen bilateral relationships with the United Kingdom and request support for the vulnerability of small island developing states, along with the challenges Fiji faces in accessing climate finance.

He urges developed countries and donor partners to match the World Bank’s ambitious evolution with substantial donations to support the poorest and most vulnerable countries, especially small island developing states.

The discussions revolved around the efficient channelling of the Loss and Damage Fund, emphasizing the importance of avoiding overly complex processes and procedures for vulnerable countries to access this fund.

Prasad was joined by Reserve Bank of Fiji Governor Ariff Ali, Permanent Secretary for Finance Shiri Gounder, and Ministry of Finance senior officials at the meeting.