The 45th Colombo Plan Consultative Committee meeting is underway in Suva, the capital of Fiji, with the focus on climate change.

"While the focus of this meeting is on resilience to climate change, I don't want to ignore all the benefits Fiji has gained through the Colombo Plan in the areas of fighting drug trafficking and preventing drug abuse, community policing, sharing of information between the public and law enforcement agencies, SME development, gender equality and human rights," said Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama while opening the meeting.

More than 40 delegates from three regional groupings of the Colombo Plan member governments are attending the meeting at the Grand Pacific Hotel.

The Colombo Plan is a regional inter-governmental organisation formed in 1951 to promote the furtherance of economic and social development of its member nations in the Asia/Pacific region.

(The Fiji Times)