Maurizio Cian, Head of Cooperation with the Delegation of the European Union for the Pacific, reiterated the EU’s commitment to supporting Fiji and other Pacific Island countries in the promotion of sustainable exploration of raw materials on land.

He added that the EU was proud to support Fiji's efforts in enhancing geodata management and promoting sustainable sourcing of Development Minerals.

“We are proud to support the mineral resources department of the ministry to improve the development of mineral geodata management, and to develop a digital library of geodata that is successfully transferred to the government server,” he said.

Ngedikes Olai Uludong, Deputy-Director for the Geoscience, Energy and Maritime Division with SPC, emphasized the importance of partnerships in achieving the sustainable development goals. 

"These kinds of initiatives address SDG Goal 17, which is about partnerships. We cannot do it alone, and for small steps, such as this equipment, it makes a difference in the grand scheme of things,” she said.

Resident Representative for the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, Munkhtuya Altangerel, reiterated the organization’s commitment to supporting the Government of Fiji to further harness the potential of mineral resources for sustainable development, economic growth, and social prosperity.

“Through UNDP's continuous efforts to promote technical and investment cooperation, we remain steadfast in advocating for change, capacity building, and connecting Fiji to resources and knowledge in the development minerals sector.

“Ultimately, our goal is to support the Government of Fiji in managing these valuable resources more effectively, addressing environmental and social impacts, and creating jobs and livelihoods for both women and men,” Ms. Altangerel said.

The handover took place on Friday, April 12.

For more information contact: 

Risiate Biudole | Communications Analyst, UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji | risiate.biudole@undp.org