‘Fiji is open for business,’ says Fiji PM in Auckland
This week has been an important one for New Zealand-Fiji relations. Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama is in New Zealand on his first official visit as the leader of his nation in ten years.
The visit has stirred much interest in the Fijian community in this country as well as in business and political circles, especially since relations between New Zealand and Fiji have been frosty throughout the past decade, ever since Mr Bainimarama assumed power in December 2006.
The slow process of normalisation only began after Fiji held successful elections in 2014. This visit reciprocates New Zealand Prime Minister John Key’s official visit to the Pacific nation in June.
Delivering the keynote address at the Fiji Trade & Investment Symposium at the Stamford Plaza Hotel on Thursday, October 20, Prime Minister Bainimarama spoke at length about the historic relationship between the two countries.
He particularly praised the generosity of Kiwis to help Fijians in the wake of natural disasters like the devastating Cyclone Winston earlier this year. He said it was always great to see the Kiwi navy, air force and the great ‘can do’ attitude coming to Fiji’s aid during the rehabilitation and rebuilding process following disasters such as Winston.
Bainimarama invited Kiwi businesses to ride the wave of unprecedented economic growth in Fiji by investing in wide-ranging projects.
Despite the widely perceived political turbulence in the country between 2006 and the 2014 elections, the Fijian economy has grown impressively. “We have had seven years of year-on-year growth—the longest ever in the history of Fiji,” Bainimarama said.
Trade between the two countries has kept pace with the rate of Fiji’s economic growth in recent years. Two-way trade amounts to F$700 million and is growing while numbers of Kiwis visiting Fiji for holidays has been rising rapidly. New Zealand is Fiji’s second largest tourism market after Australia. This year is in line to see the highest ever number of Kiwis holidaying in Fiji, Bainimarama said.
With more than half the nation a tax-free zone for a raft of investment types, Fiji is an attractive destination for investment in the region, he said. The Fijian Government was continuing with its own big-ticket investments in roads, airports and seaports, ultrafast internet connectivity and infrastructure around new tax-free zones across the country.
Saying he is “Frank by name and frank by nature” in his characteristic style,he was candid in commenting on the troubles the relationship between the two countries has experienced in recent years.He pointedly said that the Kiwi media had misrepresented his speech during Key’s June visit and had said he had “given a hard time” to Key. Away from the gaze of the “unrelentingly negative and unbalanced” media, he and Key enjoyed a cordial relationship, he said.
Bainimarama’s 25-strong entourage comprised ministers and senior officials from several ministries, government organisations and high performing private sector companies, especially in the telecommunications and high-tech sectors. The symposium, which more than 100 people attended, was a showcase of the many exciting possibilities that Fiji offers to investors across a range of sectors like infrastructure, building, technology, transportation, manufacturing and agribusiness.
Bainimarama also visited a Fijian 'Bula Centre' kindergarten in Auckland as also a few business establishments. The New Zealand Fiji Business Council hosted a dinner to invited guests at the end of the symposium.
This week has been an important one for New Zealand-Fiji relations. Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama is in New Zealand on his first official visit as the leader of his nation in ten years.
The visit has stirred much interest in the Fijian community in this country as well as in business and...
This week has been an important one for New Zealand-Fiji relations. Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama is in New Zealand on his first official visit as the leader of his nation in ten years.
The visit has stirred much interest in the Fijian community in this country as well as in business and political circles, especially since relations between New Zealand and Fiji have been frosty throughout the past decade, ever since Mr Bainimarama assumed power in December 2006.
The slow process of normalisation only began after Fiji held successful elections in 2014. This visit reciprocates New Zealand Prime Minister John Key’s official visit to the Pacific nation in June.
Delivering the keynote address at the Fiji Trade & Investment Symposium at the Stamford Plaza Hotel on Thursday, October 20, Prime Minister Bainimarama spoke at length about the historic relationship between the two countries.
He particularly praised the generosity of Kiwis to help Fijians in the wake of natural disasters like the devastating Cyclone Winston earlier this year. He said it was always great to see the Kiwi navy, air force and the great ‘can do’ attitude coming to Fiji’s aid during the rehabilitation and rebuilding process following disasters such as Winston.
Bainimarama invited Kiwi businesses to ride the wave of unprecedented economic growth in Fiji by investing in wide-ranging projects.
Despite the widely perceived political turbulence in the country between 2006 and the 2014 elections, the Fijian economy has grown impressively. “We have had seven years of year-on-year growth—the longest ever in the history of Fiji,” Bainimarama said.
Trade between the two countries has kept pace with the rate of Fiji’s economic growth in recent years. Two-way trade amounts to F$700 million and is growing while numbers of Kiwis visiting Fiji for holidays has been rising rapidly. New Zealand is Fiji’s second largest tourism market after Australia. This year is in line to see the highest ever number of Kiwis holidaying in Fiji, Bainimarama said.
With more than half the nation a tax-free zone for a raft of investment types, Fiji is an attractive destination for investment in the region, he said. The Fijian Government was continuing with its own big-ticket investments in roads, airports and seaports, ultrafast internet connectivity and infrastructure around new tax-free zones across the country.
Saying he is “Frank by name and frank by nature” in his characteristic style,he was candid in commenting on the troubles the relationship between the two countries has experienced in recent years.He pointedly said that the Kiwi media had misrepresented his speech during Key’s June visit and had said he had “given a hard time” to Key. Away from the gaze of the “unrelentingly negative and unbalanced” media, he and Key enjoyed a cordial relationship, he said.
Bainimarama’s 25-strong entourage comprised ministers and senior officials from several ministries, government organisations and high performing private sector companies, especially in the telecommunications and high-tech sectors. The symposium, which more than 100 people attended, was a showcase of the many exciting possibilities that Fiji offers to investors across a range of sectors like infrastructure, building, technology, transportation, manufacturing and agribusiness.
Bainimarama also visited a Fijian 'Bula Centre' kindergarten in Auckland as also a few business establishments. The New Zealand Fiji Business Council hosted a dinner to invited guests at the end of the symposium.
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