Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has urged governments to invest in sport in developing countries because it is a way to deal with non-communicable diseases.
Speaking at the European Commission Seminar on Sport Diplomacy, Bainimarama says that investing in sport in developing countries like Fiji cannot only be an important diplomatic tool but a highly effective way to make a real difference to the health and wellbeing of ordinary people.
He says that while Fiji’s sporting stars may be incredibly fit, Fiji has one of the highest rates of non-communicable diseases in the world.
Bainimarama says that there are also opportunities to fund the development of sport at the grass roots level in developing countries as a means of raising overall living standards.
He told delegates at the seminar that in many parts of Fiji, there are communities in which sporting facilities consist of an uneven field, two goal posts and ball.
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