Nadi, Fiji — The Pacific Regional Dialogue on Cooperatives as Drivers of the Blue-Green Economy concluded this week with a strong regional consensus that cooperatives are central to advancing inclusive growth, sustainability, and resilience across Pacific Island economies.
Closing the two-day Dialogue, Fiji’s Roving Ambassador to the Pacific, Mr William Brown Toganivalu, said the gathering had sharpened regional understanding not only of the importance of cooperatives, but of their practical role in delivering sustainable development outcomes grounded in Pacific values.
The Dialogue brought together senior government officials, cooperative leaders, and development partners from across the Pacific and Asia, including representatives from Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Fiji, alongside international cooperative institutions.
Mr Toganivalu noted that discussions consistently highlighted the capacity of cooperatives to drive blue and green economic growth through the sustainable management of ocean and land resources, improved food security, and the creation of meaningful economic opportunities for women, youth, indigenous communities, and vulnerable groups.
He framed the Dialogue within the global context of the United Nations’ proclamation of 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives, under the theme “Cooperatives Build a Better World”, emphasising that the cooperative model’s people-centred approach aligns naturally with Pacific societies and traditions.
“Behind every cooperative are real human lives, families and communities,” Mr Toganivalu said, underscoring that cooperative enterprises are not abstract institutions, but mechanisms through which social wellbeing and economic participation are advanced together.
While recognising the ambition demonstrated across the region, he stressed that impact would depend on delivery. Translating shared narratives into action, he said, requires targeted policy reforms, improved governance, enhanced accountability, and consistent political leadership at national, regional, and where appropriate, global levels.
Reflecting on the outcomes of the Dialogue, Mr Toganivalu identified three shared convictions to guide the future of the cooperative movement: that people and families must always be valued above profit; that cooperative resilience requires coordinated responses to regional challenges; and that sustainability must remain the guiding principle of governance and service delivery.
These principles were illustrated through community-level case studies presented during the Dialogue, including women-led cooperatives, fisheries initiatives, and intergenerational enterprises demonstrating the tangible impact of cooperation rooted in equity, reciprocity, and shared responsibility.
Delivering the host country remarks, Director and Registrar of Cooperatives, Mr Iosefo Koroidimuri, thanked participants on behalf of the Government of Fiji and the Ministry of Commerce and Business Development, acknowledging the quality of engagement and contributions throughout the Dialogue.
Mr Koroidimuri said discussions had clearly identified priority areas where cooperatives can deliver meaningful and lasting results, including economic empowerment, food security, youth engagement, employment creation, and addressing broader social challenges facing Pacific communities.
A key outcome of the Dialogue was the proposal to establish the Pacific Island Cooperative Network (PICON) — a regional platform envisaged as a South Pacific forum under the International Cooperative Alliance Asia-Pacific. The proposed network aims to strengthen cooperation in trade, training, technology, youth development, and poverty reduction, while reflecting the unique context and priorities of Pacific Island states.
Mr Koroidimuri reaffirmed Fiji’s readiness to support the initiative, emphasising the importance of converting dialogue into concrete action, partnerships, and sustained collaboration.