Fiji's disaster bill hits $600M

Fiji has spent more than $600 million on disaster recovery in just seven years — and the government is warning that the cost of climate inaction is becoming unsustainable.

Speaking at the launch of a new disaster risk finance study in Suva today, Fiji’s Finance Minister, Professor Biman Prasad, warned that the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters is crippling the economies of small island states.

“This is not just a number in our national accounts,” said Professor Prasad.

“It reflects broken infrastructure, lost productivity, and communities thrown into crisis. We simply cannot keep paying this price.”

The report, prepared by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), lays bare the fiscal and social costs of repeated natural disasters. It highlights roads, energy systems, and water infrastructure as among the most vulnerable, and most critical — to build back better.

Fiji is responding by shifting from response to readiness. The government is developing its first national disaster risk financing policy, designed to ensure that future shocks do not cripple the country’s economy or development goals.

Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure Ramesh Subramaniam, emphasized the need for proactive investment: “Small, smart investments in resilient infrastructure today could prevent billions in future losses.”

With climate disasters becoming more frequent and severe, Fiji is calling on the international community to provide accessible, predictable, and scaled-up climate finance — not just for rebuilding, but for prevention.

“We don’t want sympathy,” Mr Prasad said. “We want systems that protect our people, our economy, and our future. Resilience is not a luxury — it's a necessity.''