Sweden’s Minister for International Development Co-operation, Isabella Lovïn, met with Permanent Representative to the UN, ambassador Peter Thomson in New York.

The two discussed preparations for the UN Ocean Conference to be held here from June 5 to 9 June next year.

Sweden and Fiji are mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to co-host the Conference.

The meeting heard briefings on measures underway at the United Nations to prepare a modalities resolution for the Conference.

This is along with organisational arrangements for the conference being made in co-operation with the UN Secretariat and affiliated agencies.

Under the UN Flash Appeal for Fiji, Sweden has granted US$590,000 (F$1.27million) to UNICEF’s work in Fiji to assist cyclone victims in the areas of water, sanitation and health.

Sweden is also seconding two experts to UNDP to strengthen humanitarian response in our post-cyclone rehabilitation efforts.