ABOUT 91 per cent of the entire cost for the 55-member Fiji delegation that will be attending the COP29 meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan in three weeks’ time, is being funded externally.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Professor Biman Prasad, who will be leading the team for the global meeting, said taxpayers were only paying for the three Opposition members part of the delegation.

“Government funding is essentially limited to the three Opposition members including the Leader of the Opposition because we could not get funding for them,” he said.

“We wanted to be very transparent and open about our delegation and funding so that there is no ambiguity as to how much it will cost the taxpayers of this country.

“We have been very successful in accessing funding, and support from outside of the government and we are very pleased with that.”

Prof Prasad said the Fiji delegation would go with a strong voice and they were fully prepared for the COP29 meeting.

“Pacific has always been a very, very strong voice.

“And some of the things that are there today on the global agenda, whether it is to do with the ocean, whether it is to do with adaptation, it is partly because of the advocacy by the Pacific Island leaders and negotiators.

“And so, a lot of work has already been done.

“The New Collective Quantified Goal is itself an indication of what the Pacific and Fiji will be pushing.

“So, we are stating this in advance; we are saying very firmly, clearly and with boldness what needs to happen if we are to address these climate risks and challenges that many of the small island states and less developing countries are facing today.”