FIJI has officially recognised 38 individuals as refugees between 2018 and 2025, Immigration Minister Viliame Naupoto told Parliament yesterday.
Responding to questions on refugee processing outcomes, Mr Naupoto revealed that 6565 Refugee Status Determination (RSD) processes had been undertaken in that time, with 38 applicants determined to meet the criteria under international refugee conventions.
“Out of these 38, 10 have been resettled to New Zealand, two voluntarily returned to their home countries, and 26 remained in Fiji,” he said.
“Out of the 26 that are here, 18 are working at GPH, housekeepers, Salvation Army, Extra Supermarket, a few of them are operating their own businesses, selling perfume.
“One is a market vendor in one of our local markets, one is running a small eatery restaurant, four are students in high and primary schools around Suva, four are still looking for work but they are supported by their families from overseas.”
He also noted that globally, there are more than 36.8 million refugees – placing Fiji’s numbers in stark contrast.
“We may be a small country, but our commitment to protecting vulnerable people is significant.”
He described the introduction of a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for processing asylum seekers and refugees as “53 years in the making.”
“We’ve created a system that reflects our values as a compassionate nation. When someone with nothing arrives at our border, we do not look away.
“We don’t push them away. We have set ourselves up to have a process where we can deal with them, and in that process, we inject hope back into that life.
“We pick them up, dust them off, and say, hey, there is your life in front of you.”
Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu also raised the issue of climate displacement, urging government to consider the legal and humanitarian implications of “climate migrants” who do not currently qualify as refugees under international law.
Mr Naupoto agreed that both categories deserved serious attention, stressing that Fiji would continue working with global partners on evolving frameworks.
