Towards a Blue Recovery in Fiji
COVID-19 Appraisal Report
The global COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected Fiji, hitting at backbone economic sectors, such as international tourism and export fisheries. It has also brought to the fore the need to embark on a more sustainable model of development. This report examines Fiji’s economic and sustainability trends, as well as the governance and financing of its ocean economy before and during the COVID-19 crisis. It provides an initial mapping of promising initiatives and funding instruments that can be developed and scaled up to foster a sustainable blue recovery, focusing on four main areas: sustainable fisheries, sustainable tourism, green shipping and marine conservation.
The ocean economy of Fiji during the COVID-19 crisis
The 2020 economic contraction due to the COVID-19 pandemic was the largest in Fiji’s modern history. The loss of tourism revenue had negative spillover effects affecting Fiji’s overall economy. Moreover, these large fiscal impacts from the pandemic exacerbate Fiji’s pre-existing financing challenges. This chapter examines the socio-economic and environmental aspects of the pandemic on the ocean economy of Fiji, including job losses, the migration of Fijians back to their villages and heightened level of remittances. It also analyses international assistance to counter the pandemic, including regional partnerships and the Debt Service Suspension Initiative.
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