"Disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies though advocated nationally, lack the funding and are not effectively linked to or integrated with Fiji's rural development administrative machinery," said Tui Macuata Ratu Aisea Katonivere, the paramount chief of the province of Macuata on Fiji’s second largest island of Vanua Levu, on the occasion of the opening of the National Summit for Building Resilience to Climate Change. He called for stakeholders engagement, as well as for business operators to be monitored.
"We are here to talk about what we are doing as individuals, community-based organisations, government agencies, as non- government organisations, and a nation at large to [...] learn, discuss and share climate smart solutions for our nation to build resilience to climate change," he said.