Future Fund urges full CIIP investment to boost economy, tackle CRB

January 1, 2026 9:42 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Hilaire Bule.

Managing Director of Future Fund Company, John Tonner, said the company is committed to protecting the copra industry and advancing renewable energy as part of broader efforts to safeguard Vanuatu’s environment, which has led to its financial contribution to national efforts to combat the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB).

He said the Department of Biosecurity (DoB) has recently formed a CRB Taskforce, chaired by CRB Coordinator Joe Pakoawia, and is preparing to roll out strategic and targeted operations across multiple islands. These efforts include responding to confirmed infestations and installing detection traps in high-risk areas.

“The coconut tree is a tree of life, with every part used productively in our traditional, social and economic systems. This is especially evident with current high copra prices and recent investments in the coconut sector, as farmers look to increase production. CRB must remain front and centre in our collective response, which is why the Future Fund recently provided more than VT6 million to the DoB to support sanitation work in Santo,” Mr. Tonner said.

He said copra, or dried coconut flesh, is a base commodity that requires further value-adding to unlock its full economic, social and environmental benefits. One such product is Crude Coconut Oil (CNO), which can be refined and used as a replacement for diesel and other fossil fuels.

Mr. Tonner said current estimates show that imported diesel used to generate about 8MW of base-load electricity for Efate costs more than VT2 billion annually and requires full foreign currency exchange, with vatu converted into US dollars or other currencies to purchase fuel offshore.

Under the Energy Roadmap Policy, the Vanuatu Government has long pursued the reduction of fossil fuel use for base-load electricity generation. During the first sitting of Parliament earlier this year, Minister for Climate Change Ralph Regenvanu reaffirmed the Government’s decision to acquire two 1MW coconut oil generators under the Efate Power concession with UNELCO.

Vanuatu has played a leading role internationally on climate advocacy and recently championed action at the United Nations to explore legal pathways through the International Court of Justice, seeking compensation from major polluting nations to support vulnerable countries.

COP30, held in Brazil in November 2025, secured an agreement to triple funding support for vulnerable countries, though the commencement of those funds has been deferred several years, Mr. Tonner said.

Mr. Tonner said Future Fund is a publicly registered company in Vanuatu focused on mobilising economic activity under the Citizenship Investment Immigration Programme (CIIP). Incorporated in 2023, the fund has supported farmers, growers and primary producers, contributed to solutions for urban growth pressures, and partnered on initiatives to ease strain on limited water resources.

He said the company is also aligned with existing government policy across several sectors, including energy, and is now in the second year of a seven-year strategy to domestically produce 16 million litres of coconut oil annually. This output would generate about 8MW of base-load power and reduce the need to send more than VT2 billion overseas each year.

“We can keep that stimulus within our circular economy. Injecting VT2 billion annually into outer island provinces would transform island-based communities. We could see seasonal workers returning home, greater social stability, and employment created in local communities. Fossil fuel power generation would be phased out. This is not a dream—it is achievable and it puts food on tables,” he said.

When asked about CRB-related concerns, Mr. Tonner said the beetle is now present in the region, but other Pacific countries have successfully managed and, in some cases, eliminated it.

“The Future Fund wants to be part of that effort. Science points to practical measures that can deliver real results. As a nation that values land and natural resources, we also carry the responsibility to protect them for future generations,” he said.

Mr. Tonner also shared his views on available funding mechanisms, saying several citizenship programmes are used to raise government revenue, but the Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP) is specifically designed to channel investment directly into Vanuatu’s economy.

“This approach should expand economic opportunities for everyone,” he said.

Currently, the Future Fund manages about 12 per cent of total CIIP investment funds generated.

“Imagine what could be achieved if the remaining 88 per cent were also transparently and authentically invested within the economy. Challenges like CRB could be fully resourced, while creating employment and supporting environmental initiatives already outlined in government policies,” he said. “The Future Fund remains committed to tackling CRB, growing the economy, and ensuring accountable management of the CIIP.”