The Asia Foundation formally opened its regional office in Suva last night, in what is also a first for the organisation, that will spearhead its work in supporting Pacific solutions to Pacific challenges.
The opening of the office comes more than two years after the AF Board gave its go-ahead to set up an office in Suva, and it also comes on the heels of the approval of the foundation’s strategy for the region split into three priority areas.
“The first is about assisting and navigating the geostrategic challenges in the region and supporting regionalism, the second is about working to support women’s leadership, equality, and rights, and the third is about supporting Pacific resilience,” AF Regional Rep to the Pacific Islands Sandra Kraushaar (pictured) said.
“This means that we are working with local organisations, local researches on local issues where we can find change-makers and we can amplify their efforts.”
In the six weeks since they have been in Suva, and whilst setting up their office space in Boulevard, downtown Suva, the foundation has carried out numerous engagements, the most recent being a roundtable discussion with Pacific Island women leaders to hear their views on navigating the geostrategic competition in the region. About a month ago, via its Countering Trafficking in Persons Programme, the foundation convened a one-day workshop in Suva for journalists on countering trafficking in persons. Trafficking in Persons, also known as Human Trafficking is on the rise in the region, as per the 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-trafficking-in-persons-report/ that was released in July. The workshop was an opportunity to assist journalists in their reporting of TiP, and remind them of their role in highlighting the issue including its socio-economic impacts.
