The global economic and geopolitical landscape is undergoing significant transformations, necessitating strategic and adaptive policy measures to safeguard national interests.

This was the key message delivered by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka as he announced the upcoming Foreign Policy White Paper, which aims to address the pressing issues affecting global trade and economic stability.

The Prime Minister believes that the contraction in global trade is not just a number; it represents lost opportunities, potential jobs, and hinders economic growth.

“Over the past decade, global trade has surged by over 40 percent, creating millions of jobs and lifting people out of poverty. However, due to geopolitical tensions, global trade has contracted by 5 percent for the last year alone, threatening all these initial gains.”

He stresses that the rise of protectionist policies, reorganization of supply chains, and a growing trend towards self-reliance have reshaped the global economic order, where open economies are considered a vulnerability, not an asset.

Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Lenora Qereqeretabua notes the white paper will serve as the conceptual basis for making decisions on foreign policy, lending discipline to policymaking.

“The white paper articulates Fiji’s foreign policy priorities, states the government’s policy direction, and guides our international engagements into the next decade.”

The Foreign Policy White Paper is a roadmap that ensures that our children will live in a country that is secure, prosperous, and respected under global change.