Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has announced the appointment of Esrom Immanuel as the new Minister for Finance, Commerce and Business Development, effective today, 3 November 2025.

Immanuel’s new portfolio brings together key functions previously held under the Ministry of Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics, and the Ministry of Trade, Cooperatives, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Communications.

Outlining the new ministerial structure, Prime Minister Rabuka confirmed that the Ministry of Finance will now operate as a standalone ministry, while Strategic Planning, National Development, and Statistics will remain under the Office of the Prime Minister.

In addition, external trade will be transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while cooperatives, investment, micro, small and medium enterprises, domestic trade, national trade measurement and standards, and business development functions will fall under the newly established Ministry of Commerce and Business Development.

The Prime Minister also announced that communications responsibilities will now fall under the Ministry of Policing, led by Ioane Naivalurua, who will serve as the Minister for Policing and Communications.

To ensure a seamless transition, the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister will coordinate with the Permanent Secretaries for Finance, Trade, Policing, and Foreign Affairs, as well as the Public Service Commission, to manage staffing and budgetary realignments.

Prime Minister Rabuka said the changes reflect Government’s ongoing efforts to enhance efficiency, improve service delivery, and strengthen the alignment of ministerial functions with Fiji’s development priorities.