Jonathan Pryke

Fiji’s economic resilience and remarkable recovery from the intense impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been praised by Jonathan Pryke, Senior Economist at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs.

Speaking during the Australia-Fiji Business Council Forum, Pryke highlighted Fiji’s extraordinary rebound, emphasizing that the nation’s economy experienced the second-largest contraction globally in 2020 and 2021, surpassed only by Lebanon, which was also dealing with the devastating Beirut explosion.

Pryke highlights the severity of Fiji’s economic downturn, attributing it to the country’s reliance on tourism and the difficult decision to close its borders early during the pandemic.

“Over 2022 and 2023 combined, Fiji was the fastest-growing country in the world, growing by close to 30% over two years, reclaiming all of the lost ground from COVID and even claiming some more growth on top.”

Pryke attributed this rapid recovery to several factors, including effective policy decisions, the efficiency of the vaccine rollout, and the early and well-managed reopening of borders.

He emphasized that no other tourism-dependent economy bounced back as effectively as Fiji, an evidence to the resilience and determination of the Fijian people and businesses.

Despite the positive trajectory, Pryke acknowledged that challenges remain, particularly regarding the debt burden the Fijian government now faces.

He framed the discussion with optimism, pointing to a bright future for Fiji’s economic development and the evolving relationship between Australia and Fiji.