Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Biman Prasad met with Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) Global Director Ramesh Subramaniam on the sidelines of the 2025 IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings.
The discussion focused on Fiji’s leadership in disaster risk financing and infrastructure resilience across the Pacific, following the recent launch of the Fiji Disaster Risk Financing Report.
HPrasad highlighted that developing regions continue to face major infrastructure deficits, with around 20% of annual infrastructure spending lost to disasters, underscoring the urgent need for concessional financing and grant support from development partners and multilateral development banks.
Subramaniam invited Fiji to express its interest in co-chairing the CDRI from 2026, and discussions are underway to establish a CDRI regional office in Suva.
He also noted that the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) program will open its next call for proposals in November 2025, providing Pacific nations with funding opportunities for resilient infrastructure projects.
Throughout the week, Prasad will also meet with leaders from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, among other key bilateral partners.
He is accompanied by the Assistant Minister for the Office of the Prime Minister Sakiusa Tubuna, the Permanent Secretary for Finance, and senior Ministry officials.
The meeting reinforced Fiji’s prominent role in Caribbean-Pacific climate resilience agendas.
Subramaniam commended Fiji’s proactive initiatives and said co-leading the CDRI would deepen the country’s technical and institutional capacity in resilience planning.
The proposed regional office in Suva is expected to serve as a coordination hub, streamlining program delivery and knowledge sharing across Pacific island states
Prasad emphasized that Fiji’s infrastructure projects, such as the bridge resilience program supported by the World Bank, exemplify the kind of investments CDRI aims to scale.
