Conservation International and Fiji Development Bank Establish Lau Seascape Stewardship Impact Facility

Partnership to deliver inclusive finance for environmental protection, climate resilience, and support for community enterprises in Lau

Suva, Fiji – [November 12, 2025]– Conservation International and the Fiji Development Bank (FDB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance the initial phase in the design of the Lau Seascape Stewardship Impact Facility, an innovative pathway to increase access to finance for Fiji’s coastal communities in Lau, the guardians of one of the Pacific’s most biodiverse marine regions.

The facility will support the scaling of Micro, Small to Medium Size Enterprises (MSMEs) operating in Lau Province — including cooperatives, and eco-tourism ventures – into Fiji’s mainstream formal business sector. At present, approximately 90% of Lau’s MSMEs are informal or unregistered, making it impossible to access finance to scale their operations. This facility aims to unlock access to funds and therefore increase sustainable local livelihoods that have sustained our Lau communities for generations.

The MoU marks a significant step forward in fostering inclusive and sustainable financial solutions that support a balanced approach to natural resource protection and ecosystem restoration, while ensuring community-based economic aspirations for our Lau communities are fulfilled.

Through this partnership, Conservation International and the Fiji Development Bank will facilitate access to finance for community enterprises and island cooperatives engaged in sustainable use of marine and coastal resource-based initiatives.

The facility designed under this project will aim to:

• Support biodiversity protection, climate-smart livelihoods, and ecosystem restoration.

• Strengthen and build resilient community entrepreneurs through tailored training and capacity building initiatives to balance protection and sustainable production of natural resources.
• Align financial portfolios with national and regional conservation goals, including commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
• Leverage Conservation International’s global expertise in conservation finance, marine science, and strategic partnerships to enhance FDB’s lending portfolio, practices and impact measurement.

“Today’s event marks a significant milestone for Lau and reflects our shared commitment to sustainable development and environmental stewardship,” said Mr. Meli Saubulinayau, Chairman of the Lau Provincial Council. “We recognize Conservation International’s technical expertise with FDB’s financial leadership, and this facility will greatly contribute to the sustainable economic growth in Lau” he added.

“The Lau Islands represent one of Fiji’s last great frontiers for conservation — a remote chain of 60 islands with deep harbors, towering limestone cliffs, unique marine life and home to around 5,600 Indigenous people,” said Ms. Susana Waqainabete-Tuisese, Vice President of Conservation International Pacific.  “This facility marks a key step forward in delivering the Lau Seascape Strategy, which unites government, communities, and partners to manage resources from ridge to reef to ocean. By strengthening local capacity and creating opportunities for sustainable livelihoods, we’re ensuring that the people of Lau can thrive alongside the extraordinary natural heritage that defines their islands.”

FDB Chief Executive Officer Mr. Filimoni Waqabaca added, the partnership between the FDB and Conservation International, through the establishment of the Lau Seascape Stewardship Impact Facility, brings together two institutions with complementary strengths — one grounded in finance and development, and the other in conservation and science. Both are united by a shared vision: to ensure that economic growth goes hand in hand with the protection of the natural systems that sustain it. Together, FDB and Conservation International will co-design a financing mechanism that links conservation with inclusive economic growth — ensuring that, when it becomes operational, it will truly serve the people and ecosystems of the Lau Province, while also providing opportunities for scaling and replication by other relevant stakeholders.

This collaboration supports Fiji’s broader agenda under the Blue Economy Framework, the National Ocean Policy, and our international commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including the goal of protecting 30% of our land and ocean by 2030. This also aligns with the National Development Plan and supports the RBF Sustainable Finance Roadmap and 2024-2028 FDB Strategic Plan.

The initial activities under this partnership are generously supported through catalytic investments from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (UK FCDO) under the Sustainable Blue Pacific Initiative, and Temasek Trust’s Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA).

The MoU will remain in effect until December 31, 2028, and serves as a framework for future agreements and collaborative opportunities.