Press Release Detail

Prime Minister and Minister for Forestry, Voreqe Bainimarama's Speech at the launch of the Ministry of Forestry Costed Annual Operational Plan 2022-2023 and Stakeholder Appreciation Event on Friday October 21, 2022.

Our partners in the private sector; Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corp; Senior Civil Servants; Members of the Media; Ladies and Gentlemen.
Bula vinaka and a very good evening to you all. 
We’re here tonight to celebrate a team effort; what a Government with a vision can achieve in partnership with the private sector to create prosperity across the country.
I want to especially welcome the saw-millers, exporters, and loggers with us this evening, as well as the Management of Fiji Pine Limited and Fiji Hardwood Corporation limited –– our two key players in a forestry sector that has never been more prosperous, more sustainable, or more important to our economy. 
Allow me to run quickly through the highlights: 
Since its launch in 2019, our 30 million trees in 15 years initiative has put 15,567,189 new trees and mangroves in the ground –– taking us to over half of our goal in less than four years. Those new trees and mangroves cover an area of over 14,000 hectares. Across the way from here is Albert Park. We have planted enough trees and mangroves to cover Albert Park more than 125 times over.
That should make every one of us here proud. It should make every Fijian proud. Fiji is greener, our air is cleaner, and our communities are safer because of it. 
What makes that milestone even more remarkable is the revenues we’ve also achieved in the Industry. The Forestry Sector achieved a record-breaking export revenue of $118.5 Million Dollars in 2021, up $41.9 Million Dollars compared to 2020. And we are making profits without pillaging our forestry resources. That should make us very proud as well. And on the back of advances to make this Industry more efficient, such as an online application process for harvesting licenses, approvals are now turned around in one hour, on average. 
My friends, the pace of our economic growth this year is on track to surpass any year before it. There is a lot of talk these days about the triumph of our border re-opening and recovery of our Tourism Sector. That success was hard-won and the accolades are well-deserved. But we must also acknowledge the other sectors that are powering our recovery and that prove how diverse our economy has become.
Forestry has never contributed more to the prosperity of our people than it does today –– your record-breaking exports show it. Our farmers have also broken records in agricultural exports. And fisheries exports are likewise on the rise as our blue economy blossoms. 
Our record-breaking recovery is a resource-based recovery. It is not only happening in our hotels and at our airports. It is happening in our forests, on our farms, and in our ocean. We are sustainably developing our natural resource base to create livelihoods and prosperity for all Fijians – including iTaukei landowners. The benefits are being felt everywhere in the country. 

Ministry’s Costed Annual Operational Plan
Tonight isn’t only about what we’ve done together –– it is about what we can do together. It is about what comes next. That is why I’m proud to also launch the Ministry of Forestry’s Costed Annual Operational Plan this evening. 
With a budget of $17.1 Million Dollars in the 2022-2023 budget, the Ministry’s Annual Operational Plan outlines how this Ministry will continue to grow our green economy in co-operation with the rest of the Government machinery and the private sector. I challenge you all to grow this sector’s contribution to our economy even further. 
We have a three-year economic recovery plan that can make that possible, with projections for an estimated total revenue of over $400 Million Dollars from 2021 until 2024. That would be the most successful three-year period in the history of this Industry. That is our goal to meet and our record to beat. 
Guided by the vision of Sustainable Forests as Our Future, we will continue towards our full 30-million tree-planting commitment and introduce a new Harvesting Code of Practice and REDD+ Policy and an updated Fiji Forest Act 1992, which is currently under review. Guided by the mandates and protections of our Fijian Constitution, we will work with iTaukei landowners to ensure that they receive fair and equitable returns from their natural resources. 
We will also ensure that investors are given security of leases and licenses, and that licenses are issued on a level playing field, through transparent processes.  Guided by cutting-edge forestry knowledge and expertise, we will guard our native forests through equitable re-planting requirements, continue our research into lesser-known but potentially profitable timber species to meet the growing demand for dilo, sikeci, and sandalwood oils, soaps, skincare and other high-value products. And guided by solidarity, we will expand our forest cover in recognition of the vital role that forests play in absorbing carbon and stabilizing the climate. 
When future generations of Fijians look back on this time, I truly believe they will reflect on this work you are doing now as some of the most important and transformative in this century. We are greener, more sustainable, and more resilient for every day of honest work in our forestry sector. I say honest for a good reason. It's no secret that corruption once ran root-deep in this Industry. We are committed to eliminating corruption in every form and all its vestiges –– that commitment remains unwavering.
Our forests cannot be some lawless frontier –– they stand next to our ocean as the most important natural assets in the country. They must be managed transparently, they must be managed sustainably, they must be managed profitably, and they will be under my leadership. As a result, they will be among the greatest inheritances we gift our children and grandchildren.
Vinaka Vakalevu. Thank you. Have a wonderful evening.