As part of the preparation, the Fiji Government with support from UNDP, gathered for a second National Multi-Stakeholder Consultations for the Oceans Conference on 2 May in Suva, to discuss Fiji’s plan to achieve SDG 14 - conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

The Rights, Empowerment and Cohesion (REACH) for Rural and Urban Fijians Project aims to promote peace building, social cohesion and inclusiveness. The project conducts awareness raising of the social, economic and legal rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji, provides access to the services associated with these rights, and strengthens institutional capacity to deliver these services. A mobile service delivery approach is undertaken to reach communities throughout all of Fiji with the focus to reach the furthest behind first. Please visit www.pacific.undp.org for more information.

Local markets in Levuka town on the eastern coast of Ovalau are set up in tents towards the sea side and stretches out in the middle of town. There are around 80 to 100 market vendors operating at the town market who are from Ovalau and Moturiki Island in the Lomaiviti Province. All whom are also producers that bring their produce to the market on Saturdays and a few during the weekdays.

An Interview with Fiji's Permanent Secretary from the Ministry of Local Government, Housing & Environment Mr Joshua Wycliffe bringing perspectives from Pacific Islands to the BIOFIN Asia-Pacific Workshop.

Youth representatives from 15 Pacific Island countries and territories gather for the Pacific Youth Anti-Corruption Innovation Lab in Nadi, Fiji to develop innovative solutions to address corruption challenges in selected policy areas.

Three new custom built buses were commissioned today in Suva that will allow the Government of Fiji to deliver social, economic and legal services to remote communities and raise awareness of Fijians of the rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji.

The National Parliament of Solomon Islands in partnership with UNDP and funding support from the Government of New Zealand is hosting a two-day Seminar for Members of the 10th Parliament on the topic: Sustainable Development Goals and Risk Development.

Over forty delegates from nine Pacific Parliaments are gathering in Suva this week to take part in the Pacific Parliamentary Seminar on Enhancing Committee Work

Exclusion of women, ethnic minorities, and people living in remote areas create chronic barriers that have stymied human development progress and led to significant disparities within the Asia and the Pacific region, leaving many behind.

Accessing and utilizing global climate financing from sources such as the Green Climate Fund and other multilateral and bilateral funds, provides the opportunity for governments to scale up national climate change adaptation and mitigation activities.

With over 110 populated islands, Fiji is a developing country with very unique challenges. Many of Fiji’s villages and islands are remote, so they have limited access or knowledge of public services. Fiji’s new constitution, introduced in 2013, provided its people with the right to have equal access to government services. But not all of Fiji’s citizens know about their rights or the services available to them.

A three-day orientation seminar for the newly elected and returning members of the Chuuk State Legislature is currently underway following the State Elections earlier this month. Newly elected members include Chuuk’s first female Senator, Honourable Senator-elect Gardenia Aisek, who is among two new senators and nine representatives that make up the 39 elected members of the Chuuk State Legislature.

The short video documentary, Multicultural Youth Engagement, captures youth voices during a series of youth dialogues on multiculturalism and social cohesion under the UNDP Strengthening Citizen Engagement in Fiji Initiative.

Lively discussion followed each presentation. The Prime Minister of Samoa, Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi, emphasised the participants key role as leaders: “If there is no political leadership, then talking about development has no purpose.”

The linkages between climate change, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development needs to be strongly emphasized in order to facilitate an integrated and holistic approach to climate action.

A new pilot partnership in Papua New Guinea providing affordable green energy has the potential to drive the adoption and usage of financial services among rural low-income Papua New Guineans.