Sanctions against Fiji

A series of economic sanctions against Fiji were made in response to the 2006 Fijian coup d'état. The sanctions began in 2006 and ended after elections were held in 2014.[a]

Fiji was suspended from the Commonwealth of Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum in 2009,[2] but rejoined in 2014.[3][4]

Countries that sanctioned Fiji

Country Reference(s)
 Australia [5][6]
 France [7]
 New Zealand [8][9]
 Samoa [10]
 United States [6]

Opposition to sanctions

The Government of Fiji actively opposed sanctions, as did several other countries, including China,[11] India[12] and Russia.[13] These countries expanded their ties with Fiji after the coup.

Public opinion

Australia

A 2010 Lowy Institute poll showed that 56% of Australians supported retaining the limited travel restrictions against Fiji, 24% opposed all sanctions and wanted normalisation, 16% supported more sanctions and 4% were unsure.[14] In 2012, another Lowy Institute poll showed that 79% of Australians supported restarting dialogue with Fiji (28% "strongly in favour" and 51% were "somewhat in favour"), 17% opposed restarting dialogue (11% "somewhat against" and 6% "strongly against") and 4% were unsure.[15]

Fiji

A Lowy Institute poll conducted in Fiji under the direction of Jenny Hayward-Jones showed that 66% of people in Fiji approved of Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama. Per ethnic group, he was approved of by 75% of Indo-Fijians and 60% of iTaukei (Indigenous Fijians). This meant that Bainimarama was three times more popular among Fijians than Julia Gillard was among Australians. 79% of Fijians also disapproved of the suspension of Fiji from the Pacific Islands Forum and the Commonwealth of Nations. The survey was disputed by some, however, including national secretary of the Fiji Trade Union Congress, Felix Anthony.[16]

Notes

  1. ^ New Zealand lifted some sanctions in 2013.[1]

References

  1. ^ "New Zealand lifts some sanctions against Fiji". country.eiu.com.
  2. ^ "Pacific Islands Forum suspends Fiji". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1 May 2009.
  3. ^ "Fiji rejoins Commonwealth as a full member". Commonwealth.
  4. ^ "Statement by Forum Chair on lifting the suspension of Fiji from the Pacific Islands Forum". Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. Archived from the original on 27 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Australians in Fiji wary of sanctions". amp.theage.com.au.
  6. ^ a b "US and Australia lift Fiji sanctions | Fiji | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com.
  7. ^ "France imposes sanctions on Fiji over coup". RNZ. 22 December 2006.
  8. ^ "NZ imposes wide range of sanctions on Fiji". The Beehive.
  9. ^ "New Zealand lifts Fiji travel sanctions". The Beehive.
  10. ^ "Australia too soft on Fiji: Samoan PM". 15 January 2013 – via www.abc.net.au.
  11. ^ "Fiji turns to China after Australia's tough pro-democracy stance – new report". ODI: Think change.
  12. ^ "India to continue relations with Fiji | Indian Muslims". 2 June 2013. Archived from the original on 2 June 2013.
  13. ^ "Russian minister to visit Fiji chief". amp.smh.com.au.
  14. ^ Institute, Lowy. "Approach to Fiji sanctions - Lowy Institute Poll". Lowy Institute Poll 2022.
  15. ^ Institute, Lowy. "Restarting dialogue with Fiji - Lowy Institute Poll". Lowy Institute Poll 2022.
  16. ^ "Fiji poll points to re-appraisal – claim PM Bainimarama more popular than PM Gillard – Australians for Constitutional Monarchy". norepublic.com.au.