Australia funding cuts Fiji’s Pre-COP31 costs
Permanent secretary Sivendra Michael said Australia was hosting and funding the summit, reducing the amount Fiji needed to spend from its allocation.
Tuesday 29 September 2026 | 08:00
Fiji has spent very little of the $200,000 allocated for co-hosting Pre-COP31, with the remaining funds to be redirected to other Ministry of Environment and Climate Change costs.
Permanent secretary Sivendra Michael said Australia was hosting and funding the summit, reducing the amount Fiji needed to spend from its allocation.
“Our utilisation is very little on this budget. It will be repurposed for other costs that the ministry needs,” he said.
Related stories
Fiji’s biggest cost is setting up the Vale ni Vanua, a space for civil society and other groups attending the summit.
Mr Michael said the aim was to give those in the Vale ni Vanua the same level of interaction as participants at the Sheraton.
Australia’s reported AU$20 million (FJ$31.2 million) expenditure on the summit has drawn criticism from Opposition figures in Canberra.
‘Value for money’
Mr Michael also responded to questions about whether attending international climate meetings provided value for money.
“If you are not on the table, you are not part of the decision-making process,” he said.
He said decisions affecting issues such as board representation and the timing of funding could otherwise be made without Fiji’s participation.
“We are civil servants. We are here paid by the taxpayers’ funds. We are here to serve our people,” he said.
Mr Michael said negotiators carried the concerns of communities with them, including those raised through phone calls and emails to the Prime Minister and permanent secretaries.
“Sometimes we shed tears,” he said.
