The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA Fiji Office) launched an online training programme on capacity building for supporting low emission development strategy and climate action plan in Fiji in collaboration with Korea Environment Institute (KEI) at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva yesterday (26.07.22).

A total of nineteen (19) trainees are participating from the respective ministries which include the Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport (MCTTT), the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Fisheries, the Ministry of Infrastructure & Meteorological Services, and the two municipal councils of Suva and Lautoka City.

The 9-day online training program aims to better understand global trends on low-carbon development and climate response plans in line with international development cooperation and also share knowledge regarding strategic planning, policy development and implementation based on the Republic of Korea’s practices and experiences in low-carbon development and climate response planning.

While launching the online programme yesterday, the Deputy Director of KOICA Fiji Office (Ms. Bang) highlighted that the Korean government had been offering both short training opportunities and Master’s Degree scholarships to Fijian government officials yearly. To date, almost 300 Government officials have been to Korea to attend training programmes, among which 32 are Master’s Degree scholarship recipients. She further added that the Korean government was gratified to provide such training programs adding that this would ultimately contribute to the upskilling of government officials.

Ms Bang further stated that KOICA was committed to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals in the Pacific Region and across the globe. 

Moreover, the Permanent Secretary for Agriculture Vinesh Kumar, while delivering his remarks, congratulated the KOICA Fellowship program stewards for the insight and investment in getting senior government officials attend a contextualized capacity building program that would ensure carbon emission reduction in Fiji, provide a resilient agriculture sector adaptation plan that mitigates climate change and ensured a smart, green and safe Fiji now and into the future.

“The Capacity Building program for supporting low emission development strategy and climate action plan in Fiji is a three-year KOICA Fellowship program that aims to promote socio-economic development of partners through organizational capacity development,’’ said Mr. Kumar

“This year, both the Fiji Government in collaboration with KOICA have made a commitment to the provision of a proactive environment research that can contribute to national and global environment sustainability."

He said Fiji had an on-going program with KOICA to reduce carbon emissions and increase renewable energy and one of the KOICA Projects that the Ministry of Agriculture assisted with was the Ovalau Agro-Photovoltaic Project. 

"The project also supports access of food and nutrition to Ovalau, increases farmer household income for sustainable livelihoods, increases adoption of sustainable resource management and climate smart agriculture, establishes improved commercial agriculture for the people of Ovalau and most of all increases renewables.

"The Government through the Ministry of Agriculture is looking forward to the outcome of this fellowship program and the development of the Low Emission Development Strategy National Plan of Action," said Mr. Kumar.

KOICA Fiji office will organize a similar online training program in September and November respectively to support capacity building for Fijian government officials allied to KOICA’s three (3) fundamental areas which are; climate change, health and well-being and digitalization.

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