A revised and elevated Vuvale Partnership is expected to be signed by Fiji and Australia during the Guest of Government Visit to Australia by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, next month.
This was discussed during a meeting held between the Prime Minister and Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong in Suva yesterday.
The meeting was an opportunity to discuss Fiji and Australia’s bilateral and regional cooperation ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting (FFMM) being convened yesterday at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS).
Rabuka thanked Minister Wong for her visit to Fiji and also reaffirmed Fiji’s unwavering commitment to further strengthen cooperation at all levels of development.
“I was pleased to meet Hon. Penny Wong to discuss the key areas of cooperation and Fiji is grateful to the Australian Government for its continued friendship and support to us at a time when we aspire to collaborate as Pacific family on issues that matters most to our region,” Rabuka said.
Senator Wong said “I was very honoured again to meet with Prime Minister Rabuka and to have further discussions with him about bilateral and regional issues and how we can continue to work together.
“I thanked him for his regional leadership as well as for his friendship and partnership, along with his government and country, for the people and country of Australia,” she continued.
PM Rabuka and Minister Wong reflected on the breadth and depth of our long-stranding partnership which encompasses an extensive number of shared priorities including economy recovery, climate change, infrastructure, health and education, trade and tourism, aviation, defence and security, labour mobility, capacity building, and regional solidarity.
They also confirmed their commitment to working collectively to tackle the challenges facing the region, chief among them the climate crisis and ensuring the stability, security and prosperity of the region.
