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COVID-19 COVID-19

Commercial agricultural efforts in Fiji (left) and Vanuatu (right). Photos: Fiji government, Vanuatu Department of Agriculture.

Perhaps, it is time for a dialogue between the indigenous debts and expenditure to respond more effectively to major
systems of production and the formal sector in framing an disasters such as the one we are facing now. What we need
innovative, equitable, resilient and sustainable system, which are not incremental and token adjustments that only serve
is capable of withstanding the potentially devastating impact the interest of a few, but major conceptual and structural
of economic and social risks along the lines of the Sustain- transformations for the betterment of entire communities.
able Development Goals. The SDGs provide some universal
pathways for equity, resilience, empowerment, diversity, SDGs response
people-centered development and progressive transforma- The SDGs’ strategies for equity, inclusivity and empower-
tion. Amongst some possible strategies for resilience, equity ment has become even more relevant and imperative in these
and sustainability would be how to utilise local resources and times of the pandemic crisis. A UNDP report ‘Position Note on
knowledge which requires community participation, empow- the Social and Economic Impacts of COVID-19 in Asia-Pacific’
erment and benefits. For instance, today, indigenous knowl- calls on countries in the region to avoid returning to some
edge of medicinal plants and resources constitute a major pre-pandemic unsustainable development paths and to capi-
portion of the multimillion-dollar pharmaceutical industry, but talise on the opportunity to pursue innovative alternatives.
very few benefits trickle down to the knowledge and resource From the point of view of PICs, the pandemic has strength-
owners. The UN-affiliated World Intellectual Property Orga- ened the SDGs moral authority as a guiding light for sustain-
nization (WIPO) has been at the forefront of protecting these ability and resilience - and the challenge is how countries
indigenous resources and knowledge from biopiracy. can ensure that their responses are comprehensive as well as
Hence, rethinking new development strategies should also equitable and inclusive, so that no one is left behind.
consider local innovations, community resources and indig- The Pacific is part of the global system and thus all these
enous knowledge and marry these with macro forms of insti- require both local innovations and global support, because the
tutional governance and development, which can be resilient impact of the virus is global. Meanwhile, defeating the pan-
yet empowering. As the remittance tap slows to a trickle, demic is the immediate aim and the words of UNDP Adminis-
tourism and the travel industry collapses, as hundreds and trator, Achim Steiner, may provide us the means to do it; “We
thousands lose their jobs (as we witnessed with Fiji Airways) must act in borderless solidarity to defeat it.”
and as poverty and inequality increases, it is time to rethink
innovatively about our future development strategies, espe- Emily Moli is a Knowledge Communications Analyst, UNDP
cially strengthening the social and solidarity economy. Pacific Office in Fiji. The views and opinions expressed here
The pandemic has also put the spotlight on the need for are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the
PICs to strengthen their social protection strategies, seriously official policy or position of the UNDP.
address the issues of inequity and cut down on their national

Islands Business, June 2020 27