ADB Backs Fiji’s Move to Modernize Forestry Legislation
Fiji is modernizing forest conservation and management through a new bill to replace the 1992 Forest Act. As part of the drafting process, the ADB Law and Policy Reform (LPR) Program, together with the Fijian Ministry of Forestry, hosted stakeholder consultations across the country’s three main forest regions in May 2025. These sessions served as a formal platform for communities, government agencies, industry players, landowners, and NGOs to share their views on the draft bill.
In her opening remarks, Forestry Minister Alitia Bainivalu highlighted the draft bill’s inclusive, comprehensive, and future-oriented scope: “Our forests are more than just trees. They are cultural heritage, sources of livelihoods, climate buffers, biodiversity sanctuaries, and economic assets. The new forestry bill recognizes this multi-faceted value. It introduces a more integrated and sustainable framework for managing forest resources, strengthening governance, enforcing accountability, and protecting community rights.” Minister Bainivalu also assured stakeholders of the importance of their participation: “We want to hear your feedback. We want to understand your concerns and we want to build this legislation together.” She added that the consultations will inform the final draft, which is expected to be introduced in a forthcoming session of Parliament.
ADB legal experts worked closely with Fijian officials, supporting them with the drafting of the bill and ensuring its alignment with existing laws and international commitments, such as Fiji’s own Climate Change Act 2021 and the Paris Agreement. Cristina Pak, Principal Counsel and Team Leader of ADB’s LPR Program, emphasized the strategic importance of this effort: “Modernizing a country’s forest legal framework is a critical policy tool to stop deforestation and forest degradation and to enable sustainable management and utilization of forests to truly meet the new bioeconomy.”