PM Rabuka warns of rising disinformation ahead of elections

Government communications officers have been urged to “coordinate, collaborate and elevate” as the Fiji Government rolled out two new communication tools.

The tools are the Government Communications Guidebook and Sautu, a framework aimed at countering disinformation in Fiji.

Speaking at the launch event this morning, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said the tools are designed to lift standards and counter disinformation ahead of a challenging year.

Mr Rabuka said, “The guidebook sets a new baseline for daily operations, from drafting press releases and preparing for press conferences to running social media campaigns, with step-by-step guidance designed to help communicators reach all Fijians.”

With elections on the horizon, Mr Rabuka said the information environment is expected to intensify.

He warned that some people will try to exploit uncertainty and divisions to undermine public confidence in institutions.

“We must be ready. There is no need to panic; we just need to be prepared,” he said.

British High Commissioner to Fiji, Kanbar Hossein-Bor, said disinformation is being weaponised worldwide to divide societies, distort public debate, and weaken democracies.

Mr Bor added that good communication works best when there is a healthy information ecosystem, where media can question, people can engage, and governments are held accountable.

“In that regard, I want to acknowledge the bold steps taken by the Fiji government to strengthen media freedom,” Mr Bor said.

“These decisions are a powerful statement of confidence in democratic openness and an important signal of the kind of information environment Fiji wants to build. We are stepping up to defend open societies and protect journalists, including through our recent co-sharing of the Media Freedom Coalition globally. We are also proud to support this work here in Fiji, not only through this conference, but also through the work of BBC Media Action.”

The one-day Fiji Government Communications Conference was held at the Grand Pacific Hotel.

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