SUVA, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- A significant portion of Fiji's population is living in poverty, said Fijian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Manoa Kamikamica at the launch of the country's National Development Plan 2025-2029 and Vision 2050 on Wednesday.
He cited the Asian Development Bank's 2019-2020 report as saying that more than half of the Fijian population is affected by economic hardship, reported Fiji Broadcasting Corporation.
According to the report, 258,053 Fijians were living below the poverty line at that time, while an additional 200,000 citizens were grappling with severe financial difficulties.
Kamikamica believed these figures have likely worsened in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We cannot rebuild our nation together and empower people through unity when more than 52 percent of our population is struggling to survive. I am committed to addressing these challenges in the short and medium term," he said.
The deputy prime minister also stressed the importance of collective effort and called for creative and forward-thinking solutions to address the current economic realities. ■
