August 2019: In June 2019, the people of Navakavu (Fiji) met to celebrate the first year of implementation of the Navakavu Revitalisation Strategy 2018-2022 (NRS), a local development strategy aligned to the SDGs and the Government of Fiji’s Development Plan 2017-2021. The NRS, a first for the Vanua o Navakavu (Vanua), demonstrates, inter alia, the adaptation of national and international development goals to the local context.

Present at the NRS launch last year, the Prime Minister of Fiji hon Josaia v Bainimarama assured his government’s support for the Strategy, which revolves around the five main goals of job creation (SDG 1), housing development (SDG 11), quality health (SDG 3) and education (SDG 4), sustainable land use (SDG 15), and infrastructure development (SDG 9). These five Strategic Goals are also meant to support the Vanua’s commitment to good governance (SDG 16), climate change prevention (SDG 13), support for youth and gender parity (SDG 10), and meaningful partnerships (SDG 17). The first session of the Navakavu Strategic meeting focused on the theme of ‘leaving no one behind.’

On marine protected areas (SDG 14), the Goneturaga Na Rokobaleni and his council approved the commencement for the gazetting of the Navakavu Marine Protected Area (NMPA) to platform its long-term plan of a living marine science laboratory. The goal is boost conservation, education and tourism through an integrated initiative. The NMPA is a joint initiative led by the Vanua with the close support and assistance of the Institute of Applied Science (IAS) of the University of the South Pacific (USP) and the Fiji Locally Managed Marine Areas Network (FLMMA). In March 2019, more than 60 students from the University of the South Pacific (uSp) came to conduct research on NMPA and on agricultural resources.

On youth, the Minister for Youth and Sports, hon Laisenia B Tuitubou, was the chief guest with the Navakavu youth in commemorating World Oceans Day. The paramount chief and his council joined the youth to replant mangroves, trees and to clean garbage from the shoreline.

On health, the NRS supports both screening and awareness. Work is continuing with the Ministry of Health towards tri-monthly screenings, followed by awareness building sessions during alternate months. The Strategy’s second round of screenings focused on cervical cancer for Navakavu women, and thus had a gender component. Also under the NRS umbrella, on 7 June 2019, a commitment letter was signed to build the Sir James Michael ah Koy Health Centre in Navakavu.

The NRS intends to model how local ambitions can serve both national and international development objectives. [IISD sources] [Navakavu Magazine]