The signing of the Direct Funding Arrangement between the Australian Government and the Fiji Government for the CWM Redevelopment Project took place yesterday afternoon.

At the signing, the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad highlighted that the direct funding arrangement, amounting to AUD $10 million (close to FJD $14 million), would strengthen Fiji’s endeavours to implement a comprehensive infrastructure master plan for the Colonial War Memorial Hospital

“Over the years, we have strengthened our bilateral relationship with Australia in the areas of security and defence, healthcare, education, climate change, trade and economic cooperation,” said the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM).

According to the DPM, Fiji had also secured USD 50 million (close to FJD 117.0 million) financing from the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) for investment projects relating to road renewal and re-sealing, bridge replacement, climate change adaptation and flood mitigation.

“The CWM Redevelopment project will be delivered in a structured way that ensures the multilateral partners like the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank can join later to provide financing support towards the implementation of the master plan.”