Fiji Dialogue: Turning Natural Wealth into Investable Resilience

PVBLIC team meets with Sitiveni Rabuka, Prime Minister of Fiji, and  H.E. Tapugao Falefou, Permanent Representative of Tuvalu to the United Nations. Photo: PVBLIC Foundation

On 6 October 2025, a DBRP (Nature Bank) delegation visited Suva for high-level engagements with Government and stakeholders on development finance,including through the monetisation of natural capital, for promoting Fiji’s national priorities. 

The delegation included H.E. Tapugao Falefou, Permanent Representative of Tuvalu to the United Nations and Chair of the Pacific Small Island Developing States, Dr. Hyginus “Gene” Leon, Executive Director of the DBRP, and Ms Ashaki Goodwin, Director, Government Affairs of PVBLIC Foundation.

“Resilient prosperity cannot be achieved in isolation or as a slice of the whole. Our engagements in Fiji reaffirmed the importance of collaboration across ecologically vulnerable countries, especially Small Island Developing States, and a systems-based approach to development that integrates finance, policy, and nature-based investments,” explains Dr. Gene Leon.

A key highlight was a meeting with H.E. Sitiveni Rabuka, Prime Minister of Fiji, in which the team discussed DBRP’s systems approach to resilient prosperity and opportunities to structure finance that rewards verified resilience outcomes while valuing ecosystems such as mangroves, reefs, and seagrass as real economic assets. These discussions focused on creating pathways that advance livelihoods today, reduce risk over time, and remain fully aligned with Fiji’s development agenda.

The team also met with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat to discuss the Nature Bank, explore areas of collaboration, and identify ways the Nature Bank can support Pacific Island countries at a regional level, including collaboration with the Pacific Resilience Fund (PRF). 

About the DBRP

The Development Bank for Resilient Prosperity (DBRP), also known as the Nature Bank, is a systems-oriented, global in-scope, and outcomes-driven institution. Announced at the Small Island Developing States 4th International Conference (SIDS4), the DBRP aims to foster system-wide resilient prosperity by addressing the extensive impacts of the intertwined development challenges of ecological degradation (climate change), economic inequalities, and access to affordable finance.