Fiji will open Embassy in Israel. Notes on the Economic Relations between Fiji and Israel

The background to this small report is that Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabu­ka will officially open the Fi­jian Embassy in Jerusalem during his scheduled visit on September 15.

This step is highly welcomed by the Israeli social media crowd on X. The step was already announced in February during the Munich conference.

Reason to look into the relations between the two states.

Fiji’s planned embassy in Jerusalem, announced in 2023 and endorsed in 2025, signals a deepening of economic and diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Fiji has a pro-Israel stance, particularly its support for Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2024 and its vote against a UN ceasefire resolution in 2023.

Economic relations between Fiji and Israel are very modest but growing, centred on agriculture, technology, and climate resilience. Israel’s technical expertise and Fiji’s strategic diplomatic role create a foundation for deeper cooperation.

Israel has provided Fiji with technical assistance in agriculture, focusing on innovative farming practices suited to climate change challenges. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed in 2017 between Fiji’s Ministry of Agriculture and Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation (MASHAV), which was renewed in 2024. This agreement facilitates collaboration on crop production, water management, and sustainable agriculture.

FIJI Water’s uniqueness stems from its pristine artesian aquifer source, distinct mineral profile (silica, calcium, magnesium), premium branding, and significant economic role as Fiji’s largest export in 2023, contributing USD 170 million to exports and supporting the manufacturing sector (8–10% of GDP). Its smooth taste and celebrity endorsements elevate its global appeal.

Fiji’s significant contribution to UN peacekeeping missions in the Middle East, particularly along Israel’s borders with Egypt (Multinational Force & Observers) and Syria (UN Disengagement Observer Force), indirectly supports economic relations. These deployments generate financial benefits for Fiji through UN funding and enhance its global diplomatic leverage, which strengthens ties with Israel.

Key Fijian exports (2023) include processed petroleum oils (26.1%), mineral waters (14.8%), sugar (6%), frozen fish (5%), and gold (4.1%). Imports focus on mineral fuels (24%), machinery (9.43%), and electrical equipment (6.9%).

The ‘Total Nominal GDP’ (2023) is FJD 12.2 billion (approximately USD 5.44 billion). A cornerstone of Fiji’s economy is tourism with visitor arrivals nearing pre-COVID levels (960,000 in 2019, recovering to ~80–90% of that in 2023).

Tourism-related activities accounted for about 24.4% of GDP in pre-COVID years, and 2023 saw a strong rebound, contributing about 20–25% directly and indirectly through linkages to other services.

This sector grew robustly due to increased tourism and trade logistics, contributing about 10 to 12% to GDP. Air transport and tourism-related transport services were key drivers. Supported by rising consumption (household consumption grew 2.2%), this sector added about 10–12% to GDP, fueled by domestic demand and tourist spending.

Key crops like sugar, taro, and kava, along with subsistence farming, contributed about 10–12%. Sugar remained a significant export.

Manufacturing contributed about 8–10%, with processed foods (e.g., sugar, bottled water like Fiji Water) and beverages being key.

Fiji’s economy grew by 7.5% in real terms in 2023, with the service sector contributing 7.4 percentage points (primarily tourism, transport, and retail), the primary sector 0.4 points, and net taxes 0.5 points. The industrial sector detracted 0.8 points due to weaker construction and manufacturing performance.

Visit Fiji.

Pic AI-generated. Illustrative. Figures by Google, Grok and manual research. All figures related to 2023.