Sustainability Expert on Islands and Small States. Viliame Kasanawaqa | LinkedIn, Beyond the Bilibili
Country of Origin: Suva, Fiji Island
Residence: Christchurch New Zealand
Vili is a Pacific researcher whose PhD research examines the political economy of ocean governance and climate adaptation in Small Island Developing States. His work critically engages with structural inequities in global ocean governance, including power and technological asymmetries, regulatory frameworks, and contested narratives surrounding deep sea mining (DSM) in the Pacific.
Developing the Wasa Liwa Nexus, a theoretical framework grounded in Indigenous Pacific epistemology, his research advances new ways of understanding governance, relationality, and justice across local, regional, and global scales. It centres Indigenous knowledge systems and highlights community-led approaches to adaptation, including bamboo-based infrastructure and relational governance systems in Fiji.
Alongside his academic research, Vili brings over two decades of experience working on development initiatives across Pacific Island countries. He has contributed to regional and global policy work on Small Island Developing States, including authorship with the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), and has supported the Pacific Regional Infrastructure Facility (PRIF) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) through technical assistance roles across multiple initiatives, including coordination of multi-country infrastructure processes under the Pacific Islands Business Opportunities Seminar (PIBOS).
His work bridges research, policy, and practice, contributing to more just, inclusive, and Pacific-led futures in climate adaptation and ocean governance.
