Government of the Republic of Fiji
Government of the Republic of Fiji
02/03/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/03/2026 23:26
DECISIONS MADE AT THE 2ND CABINET MEETING HELD ON 3 FEBRUARY 2026
1. Memorandum of Understanding with the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare, Republic of Korea
Cabinet approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH) for grant funding amounting to KRW 10 billion (approximately USD 16.1 million) to support sub-divisional level implementation of the National Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Strategy and the National Digital Health Strategy (the Project).
The overall goal of the Project is to strengthen the local healthcare system and improve the management of NCDs, with a particular focus on diabetes, thereby contributing to healthier lives and reduced NCD-related complications in Fiji.
The support is specifically targeted at sub-divisional level implementation and focuses on four key areas:
• capacity building for community workers (NCD education);
• strengthening community health systems;
• establishing a referral and teleconsultation system; and
• introducing smart/digital health solutions for patient management.
The Project is expected to run until 31 December 2030.
2. Exchange of Notes and Grant Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of Fiji
Cabinet endorsed the Exchange of Notes and Grant Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of Fiji concerning a grant of ¥313,000,000 for the Economic and Social Development Programme.
The grant is designated for the procurement of essential medical equipment and related technical services to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services in diagnostic and patient care delivery nationwide.
The programme will focus on procuring modern, high-standard equipment necessary to enhance secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities.
3. Family Planning Commodities to be Sourced from the UNFPA Third-Party Procurement Mechanism
Cabinet approved the procurement of family planning commodities under the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Third-Party Procurement Mechanism (TPP).
Family planning is a comprehensive approach encompassing various fertility and contraceptive policies and services.
UNFPA is the leading UN agency for reproductive health (RH) supply procurement and the world's largest public-sector procurer of contraceptives.
UNFPA has donated family planning medicines to the Ministry through donor-funded support mechanisms since 1997. However, due to dwindling donor funds, the Ministry will now need to procure its own family planning medicines.
4. Amendments to the First Home Ownership Initiative Policy and Establishment of the First Home Grant Assistance Programme for Low-Income Families Evicted from Informal Settlements
Cabinet endorsed amendments to the First Home Ownership Initiative Policy.
A caveat provision has been introduced, effective from 1 August 2025, requiring a 10-year caveat on the sale of property to be placed on all properties acquired through the grant.
Cabinet also approved the establishment of the First Home Grant Assistance Category 1 Tier 1 Programme and Policy to support low-income families evicted from the Veidogo, Nabua Muslim League, and Kilikali informal settlements who qualify for a Housing Authority loan.
This programme is expected to be extended to eligible families from other settlements in the future.
The programme will be jointly administered by the Ministry of Housing and the Housing Authority.
5. Fiji's National Cybersecurity and Resilience Strategy 2026-2031
Cabinet endorsed the National Cybersecurity and Resilience Strategy 2026-2031 (NCRS) and its accompanying Action Plan.
The NCRS is structured around the following five Strategic Priorities:
-Secure, safe, and cyber-aware Fijians and businesses, focusing on empowering communities to protect themselves online;
-Strong cyber incident and cybercrime response capabilities, focusing on strengthening Fiji's sovereign capacity to identify, protect, detect, respond to, and recover from nationally significant cyber incidents and the impacts of cybercrime;
Protected government, critical infrastructure, and critical information infrastructure, data, and assets, focusing on building confidence that the digital infrastructure and networks underpinning economic resilience and national security are cyber-secure and resilient;
-A skilled, talented, and diverse cybersecurity workforce, focusing on addressing workforce and skills shortages by creating a sustainable talent pipeline of cybersecurity professionals; and
-Cybersecurity leadership and global advocacy, focusing on addressing cyber risks collectively with regional and international partners, recognising that cybersecurity and cybercrime are shared challenges with implications for international peace and security.
The Action Plan outlines a clear and structured approach to implementing the NCRS.
The NCRS implementation process will be driven by continuous stakeholder engagement, structured reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and collaborative decision-making to ensure it remains responsive, adaptable, agile, and results-focused.
6. Civil Aviation Master Plan and Implementation Plan for Fiji 2026-2031
Cabinet endorsed the Civil Aviation Master Plan and Implementation Plan for Fiji 2026-2031.
The objectives of the Civil Aviation Master Plan 2026-2031 are as follows:
strengthen aviation safety and security oversight;
improve aviation infrastructure and navigation systems;
promote environmental sustainability and climate resilience;
enhance capacity building and skills development for the aviation workforce;
foster innovation and digital transformation;
expand domestic and international connectivity and services; and
strengthen institutional effectiveness.
The Civil Aviation Master Plan was prepared with support from the Australian Government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as part of the Vuvale Partnership.
7. GEF-8 Programme to Support Fiji in the Preparation of the Fifth National Report on the Implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
Cabinet approved the implementation of the GEF-8 Programme to support Fiji in the preparation of the Fifth National Report (5NR) to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, with a total allocation of USD 30,000, through engagement with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
UNEP is the GEF-accredited and approved Implementing Agency (IA) for the execution of the GEF-8 Programme.
The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity is a legally binding international agreement that governs the safe handling, transfer, and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking into account risks to human health.
Fiji ratified the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in 2003.
Cabinet approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH) for grant funding amounting to KRW 10 billion (approximately USD 16.1 million) to support sub-divisional level implementation of the National Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Strategy and the National Digital Health Strategy (the Project).
The overall goal of the Project is to strengthen the local healthcare system and improve the management of NCDs, with a particular focus on diabetes, thereby contributing to healthier lives and reduced NCD-related complications in Fiji.
The support is specifically targeted at sub-divisional level implementation and focuses on four key areas:
• capacity building for community workers (NCD education);
• strengthening community health systems;
• establishing a referral and teleconsultation system; and
• introducing smart/digital health solutions for patient management.
The Project is expected to run until 31 December 2030.
2. Exchange of Notes and Grant Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of Fiji
Cabinet endorsed the Exchange of Notes and Grant Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of Fiji concerning a grant of ¥313,000,000 for the Economic and Social Development Programme.
The grant is designated for the procurement of essential medical equipment and related technical services to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services in diagnostic and patient care delivery nationwide.
The programme will focus on procuring modern, high-standard equipment necessary to enhance secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities.
3. Family Planning Commodities to be Sourced from the UNFPA Third-Party Procurement Mechanism
Cabinet approved the procurement of family planning commodities under the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Third-Party Procurement Mechanism (TPP).
Family planning is a comprehensive approach encompassing various fertility and contraceptive policies and services.
UNFPA is the leading UN agency for reproductive health (RH) supply procurement and the world's largest public-sector procurer of contraceptives.
UNFPA has donated family planning medicines to the Ministry through donor-funded support mechanisms since 1997. However, due to dwindling donor funds, the Ministry will now need to procure its own family planning medicines.
4. Amendments to the First Home Ownership Initiative Policy and Establishment of the First Home Grant Assistance Programme for Low-Income Families Evicted from Informal Settlements
Cabinet endorsed amendments to the First Home Ownership Initiative Policy.
A caveat provision has been introduced, effective from 1 August 2025, requiring a 10-year caveat on the sale of property to be placed on all properties acquired through the grant.
Cabinet also approved the establishment of the First Home Grant Assistance Category 1 Tier 1 Programme and Policy to support low-income families evicted from the Veidogo, Nabua Muslim League, and Kilikali informal settlements who qualify for a Housing Authority loan.
This programme is expected to be extended to eligible families from other settlements in the future.
The programme will be jointly administered by the Ministry of Housing and the Housing Authority.
5. Fiji's National Cybersecurity and Resilience Strategy 2026-2031
Cabinet endorsed the National Cybersecurity and Resilience Strategy 2026-2031 (NCRS) and its accompanying Action Plan.
The NCRS is structured around the following five Strategic Priorities:
-Secure, safe, and cyber-aware Fijians and businesses, focusing on empowering communities to protect themselves online;
-Strong cyber incident and cybercrime response capabilities, focusing on strengthening Fiji's sovereign capacity to identify, protect, detect, respond to, and recover from nationally significant cyber incidents and the impacts of cybercrime;
Protected government, critical infrastructure, and critical information infrastructure, data, and assets, focusing on building confidence that the digital infrastructure and networks underpinning economic resilience and national security are cyber-secure and resilient;
-A skilled, talented, and diverse cybersecurity workforce, focusing on addressing workforce and skills shortages by creating a sustainable talent pipeline of cybersecurity professionals; and
-Cybersecurity leadership and global advocacy, focusing on addressing cyber risks collectively with regional and international partners, recognising that cybersecurity and cybercrime are shared challenges with implications for international peace and security.
The Action Plan outlines a clear and structured approach to implementing the NCRS.
The NCRS implementation process will be driven by continuous stakeholder engagement, structured reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and collaborative decision-making to ensure it remains responsive, adaptable, agile, and results-focused.
6. Civil Aviation Master Plan and Implementation Plan for Fiji 2026-2031
Cabinet endorsed the Civil Aviation Master Plan and Implementation Plan for Fiji 2026-2031.
The objectives of the Civil Aviation Master Plan 2026-2031 are as follows:
strengthen aviation safety and security oversight;
improve aviation infrastructure and navigation systems;
promote environmental sustainability and climate resilience;
enhance capacity building and skills development for the aviation workforce;
foster innovation and digital transformation;
expand domestic and international connectivity and services; and
strengthen institutional effectiveness.
The Civil Aviation Master Plan was prepared with support from the Australian Government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as part of the Vuvale Partnership.
7. GEF-8 Programme to Support Fiji in the Preparation of the Fifth National Report on the Implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
Cabinet approved the implementation of the GEF-8 Programme to support Fiji in the preparation of the Fifth National Report (5NR) to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, with a total allocation of USD 30,000, through engagement with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
UNEP is the GEF-accredited and approved Implementing Agency (IA) for the execution of the GEF-8 Programme.
The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity is a legally binding international agreement that governs the safe handling, transfer, and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking into account risks to human health.
Fiji ratified the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in 2003.
Government of the Republic of Fiji published this content on February 03, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on February 04, 2026 at 05:26 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]