Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has officially appointed Esrom Immanuel as the new Minister for Finance, Commerce, and Business Development, effective today, November 3, 2025. This notable appointment represents a strategic merger of crucial functions that were previously handled by separate ministries, including Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics, and Trade.
Under this new ministerial framework, the Ministry of Finance will now operate independently, while the areas of Strategic Planning, National Development, and Statistics will remain under the purview of the Office of the Prime Minister. Responsibilities for external trade are set to transition to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The newly established Ministry of Commerce and Business Development will take on a comprehensive range of duties, including those related to cooperatives, investment, micro, small and medium enterprises, domestic trade, national trade measurement and standards, and overall business development initiatives.
Furthermore, the responsibilities for communications have been reassigned to the Ministry of Policing, which will be led by Ioane Naivalurua, who has assumed the dual role of Minister for Policing and Communications. To facilitate a seamless transition during this restructuring process, the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister will coordinate efforts with the Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of Finance, Trade, Policing, and Foreign Affairs, along with the Public Service Commission, to address staffing and budgetary modifications.
Prime Minister Rabuka emphasized that these changes are part of the government’s ongoing endeavor to enhance efficiency, improve service delivery, and align ministerial roles with Fiji’s development priorities. By consolidating essential responsibilities within the government, Rabuka’s administration appears dedicated to not only improving governance but also equipping the government to effectively tackle the economic and social challenges anticipated in its final term. As the new ministerial structure unfolds, there is a hopeful outlook for strengthened governance that could significantly benefit the citizens of Fiji and help restore public confidence in the government.