July 31st, 2024
Greetings: Tourism Fiji, Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Pacific Specialist Healthcare, Western Charity Alliance, Rotary Pacific Water, Save Fiji, PIANGO Pacific Islands Association of NGOs, Hakwa Foundation, Government and Representatives.
On behalf of the Stakeholders, Directors, Staff, and Volunteers of the ATH Vodafone Foundation it is both an honor and a pleasure to be here with you today at the 5th Multidisciplinary (Pacific) Conference.
As we gather here our objective is to explore and address the a number of important and critical issues and opportunities that face our communities in Fiji and the region. This conference is a significant event in our ongoing journey toward enhancing societal well-being and fostering sustainable development across our region.
As you may know, I also work with ATH, a Shareholder of Vodafone Fiji – you know us as a provider of mobile phones and broadband connectivity. Behind this, we understand that our technologies and solutions are an increasingly fundamental component of enabling economies, businesses to function efficiently and effectively, our MPaisa payment solutions lead the way in banking the unbanked and enabling participation in economic activity, IoT and smart solutions in education, healthcare, agriculture etc could be the catalyst for innovation and step changes in many of these focus areas.
We are here to engage in a thoughtful and inclusive dialogue, to innovate, to collaborate and to lead us to practical, meaningful solutions to the issues confronting us today. In the mainstream focus of business growth and economic development, our yardsticks and gauges greatly focus on economic and financial issues, and sometimes because of that our focus on what development, vitality, success and sustainability take on a narrow focus (e.g. GDP / GNP as a measure of economic development).
The diverse topics on our agenda—from digital solutions in vitality and wellbeing to societal impacts of climate change—reflect the complexity of the issues we face and more importantly the real world we live in. Yet, it is precisely this complexity that makes our work here so crucial and impactful. Our ability to address these challenges effectively relies on our commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and our dedication to implementing actionable solutions.
The objectives of this conference are both ambitious and essential. By exploring innovative solutions to wellbeing challenges, we aim to pave the way for healthier, more resilient communities. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, we can deconstruct the silos and take away hurdles that often hinder progress and build a unified approach to addressing the issues that matter most. We seek not only to advocate for policy development but also to implement sustainable healthcare practices that will stand the test of time.
The topics we will delve into are as diverse as the Pacific itself. From mental wellbeing, and supporting our Government’s stated efforts towards addressing substance abuse and , and from societal impacts of climate change to innovations in sexual health and children's wellbeing—each topic is a vital piece of the puzzle. I trust discussions will be informed by the latest research and best practices.
Our focus today is not just on identifying problems but on crafting solutions. Recognizing the unique challenges of our Pacific communities—geographic isolation, limited resources, and socio-economic disparities—demands that we approach these challenges with creativity and a deep understanding of local contexts. The expertise and insights shared here will be instrumental in catalyzing positive change.
As I have stated – the ATH group is about providing connectivity – broad band and the Internet to end users. There are are opportunities to deploy such technologies and solutions on connectivity to develop holistic solutions – Mpaisa, Tele-health and tele-medicine, remote learning and education, resource identification and tracking, smart agriculture etc.
As we embark on this conference, I encourage each of you to actively participate, to challenge assumptions, and to inspire one another. Your unique perspectives and expertise are crucial to shaping the discussions and driving forward actionable strategies.
In closing, let us remember that our collective efforts today will sow the seeds of progress for tomorrow. Together, we can address critical health issues, enhance vitality, and promote wellbeing across our region. I look forward to the fruitful discussions ahead and to the innovative solutions that will emerge from our collaboration.
Thank you.
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