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Hon. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola during his opening remarks

Participants have been encouraged to plan and implement interventions that will strengthen climate change resilience as the Pacific region faces significant challenges in dealing with the adverse effects of climate change because of widely dispersed populations, limited resources and fragmented health systems.

These were the words of the Hon. Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, Minister for Foreign Affairs as he officially opened the 3 day Technical Experts and Ministerial Consultations on Strengthening Climate Change Resilience through Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health in Nadi, on Monday.

“Climate change is widely regarded as a serious threat to the public health sector. Fiji is vulnerable to adverse climate change impacts due to its small geographical size, exposure to extreme climatic events and small economy.”

Mr Kubuabola said that the Fijian Constitution provides a framework for the development of a modern and progressive state. Among the Constitution’s major provisions is the Bill of Rights guaranteeing a range of civil and political rights and for the first time in Fiji’s history, provision of social and economic rights. Embodying the SDGs, these rights include the right to education, housing, food and water, health and social security and environmental rights guaranteeing every person the right to a clean and healthy environment.

“Strong Pacific leadership is crucial to ensure the full implementation of climate change resilience strategies”, Mr Kubuabola added.