Fiji and Turkey have reaffirmed their long-standing bilateral partnership with renewed discussions on waste management and sustainable environmental development.
Minister for Housing and Local Government Maciu Nalumisa met with a high-level delegation from the Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, led by Deputy Director-General for Environmental Management Haluk Şahin Yasg to discuss future cooperation in the environmental sector.
The talks aimed to strengthen technical collaboration in waste management, reflecting Fiji’s ongoing efforts to promote sustainable environmental practices and build institutional capacity.
“The Government of Fiji welcomes the renewed partnership with Turkey as an opportunity to share expertise, access technology, and improve waste-management systems across the country,” Minister Nalumisa said. “We recognise the importance of international cooperation in tackling waste and climate challenges that affect all island nations.”
The meeting also reviewed the history of diplomatic cooperation between the two countries, which began during the Turkey–Pacific Islands Forum hosted in Istanbul in 2008, and was later reaffirmed at the 2014 multi-country forum chaired by then Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu. Both events laid the groundwork for ongoing dialogue between Turkey and Pacific Island nations on issues of climate change, development assistance, and sustainable growth.
Building on that foundation, both governments have now agreed to explore the establishment of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will formalise joint initiatives on waste management and environmental protection. The proposed MoU is expected to include areas such as waste collection, recycling infrastructure, landfill management, and technical training.
\Officials said discussions would continue over the coming months to develop a concrete action plan, including identifying pilot projects and capacity-building programmes.
According to recent government reports, Fiji has been prioritising waste management as part of its broader environmental agenda. Earlier this year, the government signed a Transaction Advisory Services Agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to establish a new sanitary landfill and rehabilitate four open dumpsites in the Western Division — a project that aligns closely with the areas of cooperation now being explored with Turkey.
Turkey, through its Ministry of Environment and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), has also expressed readiness to provide technical expertise and potential funding assistance to Pacific nations in addressing solid-waste challenges and supporting sustainable urban development.
“The discussions reaffirm both Fiji’s and Turkey’s shared commitment to advancing sustainable waste solutions that protect communities, ecosystems, and future generations,” Minister Nalumisa said.
As Fiji continues to strengthen partnerships under its national environmental strategy, the collaboration with Turkey marks another step toward achieving cleaner cities and improved waste-management systems across the Pacific region.
