Praneeta Prakash 
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Biman Prasad [Source: Ministry of Finance, Fiji/ Facebook]
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Biman Prasad has assured the public that Fiji’s preparations for the upcoming COP29 climate conference are progressing smoothly, dismissing concerns raised by critics.
Prasad, who will lead the Fijian delegation stresses that the 55-member group includes experts and representatives from both the public and private sectors, each bringing specialized knowledge to Fiji’s mission.
Prasad emphasizes that this mix of expertise is essential.
He adds he will be meeting the delegates next week.
“In terms of preparation, we have some very skilful people, some who have been in negotiations in the past. Many of us have been part of many negotiations in the past, not just as a politician, but as an academic. I’ve been involved in many negotiations, including trade negotiations, WTO. So, we have a lot of skills within the delegation.”
Prasad is expected to provide additional details on Monday.
COP29 will be held in Azerbaijan from the 11 to the 22 of next month, where negotiations will focus on climate financing, particularly the New Collective Quantified Goal.
