
Like many Pacific states that rely on tourism, Fiji had a hard time during the main pandemic years. But as tourism recovers, another crisis threatens the island nation’s stability – one fuelled by rising methamphetamine addiction.
Driven by foreign drug cartels using Fiji as a staging post for operations in New Zealand and Australia, the drug has also spread into local communities. In turn, it has fuelled a surge in HIV infections and put extra burdens on stretched health and justice sectors.