16 Jun 2015

EU, Fiji sign US$31m development partnership

3:24 pm on 16 June 2015

Fiji and the European Union have signed a new development partnership programme which will see 31 million US dollars going to Fiji's agriculture and justice sectors over the next five years.

The prime minister Frank Bainimarama and the EU Commissioner for International Development Neven Mimica signed the agreement in Suva today.

About 22 million US dollars will be invested in the agriculture sector, where emphasis will be put on strengthening the sustainability and competitiveness of the sugar cane industry.

The Fiji prime minister Frank Bainimarama and the EU Commissioner for International Development Neven Mimica.

The Fiji prime minister Frank Bainimarama and the EU Commissioner for International Development Neven Mimica. Photo: SUPPLIED

The remaining 9 million US dollars will assist the justice sector, which will help poor communities to improve their access to legal services.

The agreement marks the normalisation of development relations between Fiji and the EU after being suspended since the 2006 coup.