The 30th Australia Fiji Business Forum brought government and business leaders together in Suva to explore new investment opportunities while marking 40 years of the two countries’ Business Councils.
The Australia-Fiji business relationship entered its fifth decade with a renewed focus on investment, implementation and private sector partnerships as the 30th Australia Fiji Business Forum convened at Suva’s Grand Pacific Hotel from 27-29 August.
Held under the theme Strategy for a Shifting Landscape, the joint Australia Fiji Business Council and Fiji Australia Business Council Forum brought together business leaders, policymakers, investors and development partners for discussions spanning trade and investment, infrastructure, skills, energy, tourism and development finance.
Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica, standing in for Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka at the opening, urged businesses to move beyond dialogue towards projects and investment that delivered lasting economic benefits. He said Fiji wanted not simply more investment, but better investment that created employment, transferred knowledge and strengthened local supply chains.
AFBC President Zane Yoshida highlighted the opportunity to build on four decades of business engagement as the bilateral relationship broadens into new areas of economic cooperation. This year also marks 40 years since the establishment of the two Business Councils in 1986.
The wider programme reflected the Forum theme with sessions examining both Fiji’s immediate economic environment and longer-term opportunities emerging from the Australia-Fiji partnership.
A macro and industrial dialogue considered Fiji’s economic outlook, industrial priorities and investment climate, while a Vuvale strategic briefing looked at the expanding bilateral relationship and opportunities for deeper commercial engagement. Multilateral development partners also discussed the role of development finance in infrastructure, economic development and private sector growth across Fiji and the wider Pacific.
Other sessions explored workforce requirements, emerging business models, standards and productivity, as well as opportunities in Fiji’s energy transition, tourism and connectivity. The programme also looked ahead to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the potential commercial opportunities they could create for Fiji and the region.
Participants across the Forum included representatives of organisations such as the Asian Development Bank, World Bank Group, Austrade, Pacific Trade Invest Australia, Standards Australia and Pacific Australia Skills, alongside senior Fiji government and business leaders.
New AFBC CEO Leata Alaimoana also participated in the Vuvale Voices: Advancing Trade and Investment Together panel, joining trade commissioners and trade representatives to discuss how agencies and business organisations could work more closely to convert opportunities into increased two-way trade and investment.
A particularly warm moment came with the recognition of outgoing Executive Director Frank Yourn, who has attended an extraordinary 25 Australia Fiji Business Forums. Frank is stepping down from his long-standing role with the secretariat that serves AFBC, the Australia Papua New Guinea Business Council and the Australia Pacific Islands Business Council. His contribution over more than two decades, including maintaining business links through periods when official bilateral relations were strained, was acknowledged during the Forum.
Another milestone was the launch of the second annual Fiji Trade & Investment Review 2026-27, produced through a partnership between AFBC, Investment Fiji and Islands Business. The publication showcases the sectors, businesses and investment opportunities shaping Fiji’s next phase of growth.
Across the three days, a consistent message emerged: Australia and Fiji already have strong institutional ties and considerable goodwill. The next phase of the relationship will increasingly be measured by how effectively those strengths are converted into investment, projects and enduring commercial partnerships.
