$1.315 million allocated for rent for all UN offices in the current financial year that ends on July 31st

The government has allocated $1.315 million for rent for all UN offices in the current financial year that ends on July 31st.

This is stated in the National Budget Estimates.

According to the 2021/2022 National Budget, the revised actual rent paid for all UN offices for the 2019/2020 budget year was $1.137 million while the revised estimate for the 2020/2021 budget year was $1.240 million.

We are still awaiting comments from the Permanent Secretary for Economy, Shiri Gounder on the government paying rent for all UN offices in Suva.

UN Resident Coordinator for Fiji, Sanaka Samarasinha has stated that there are a number of economic and financial benefits of having the United Nations in Fiji following confirmation that the Fijian Government is paying for the rent of all UN agencies in the country, and the Fijian Government will be building a new UN House in Suva.

Samarasinha earlier said that the Fijian Government has been paying rent for UN agencies and this was an agreement that was made before he came here in 2018 and adds this is nothing unusual.

He says Fiji is a member state of the UN and this is a very normal arrangement.

Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum had announced in the 2021/2022 National Budget that Fiji has agreed to construct a United Nations Building to serve as the UN Headquarters in the Pacific.

Sayed-Khaiyum said we are the hub of the region, and we look forward to being the home of the UN’s Pacific operations.

He had said that they are inviting private investors to build a “Purpose-Build” building to accommodate all of the services of the United Nations in a single, secure, and functional complex in the central business district of Suva.

Sayed-Khaiyum also said that three possible sites were identified, and there are potential investors who are willing to provide a total office floor area of at least 10,000 square metres including coffee shops, car parks and other requirements of the UN.

The Attorney General said that the investor, once selected, will be required to complete the building in no more than 30 months from the date of the letter of undertaking.

He said from the day they break ground on this HQ, the government will create jobs in construction, and playing host to the UN will reap huge benefits for Suva, for Fiji, and the Pacific at-large.

We have also sent questions to the Permanent Secretary for Economy, Shiri Gounder on what is the total annual rent being paid for UN agency offices, what is the total construction cost for the planned UN House and the source of the funds to construct the building.