Fiji and the United States have pledged commitment to advance collaborations on issues of importance to Fiji and the region, particularly in areas of climate change, defence and security, and economic recovery in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was articulated yesterday during a courtesy call to Prime Minister, Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama from the Deputy Assistant to the President of the United States and National Security Council Indo-Pacific Coordinator, Mr Kurt Campbell.
Prime Minister Bainimarama formally welcomed Mr Campbell and his delegation for their official visit to Fiji, which speaks to the strong cooperation and friendship between Fiji and the United States.
The Prime Minister expressed the Fijian Government’s appreciation to the United States for its support to Fiji and the Pacific Vuvale during times of great need, especially in the provision of life-saving vaccines, which contributed to Fiji reopening its international borders and reviving its tourism industry. Prospective partnerships between the two nations in areas of climate change and oceans, disaster risk management and resilience, humanitarian services, and socioeconomic development were highlighted at the meeting.
In his capacity as the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), the Prime Minister acknowledged the United States for its support to the Forum. The Prime Minister conveyed the Forum’s profound appreciation to President Biden for addressing the first PIF leaders meeting under Fiji’s Chairmanship last year. He said Fiji and the region are inspired by President Biden’s exemplary leadership and commitment to climate and ocean action.
The Prime Minister said an invitation has been conveyed to President Biden to attend the upcoming Pacific Leaders’ meeting. Fiji is grateful to its development partners like the United States for their support as Fiji prepares to host the leaders’ meeting.
The Chair of PIF thanked the United States for its solidarity with the Forum, while recognising that there are potential partnerships for realisation of shared goals on regional prosperity and sustainable development. The Prime Minister conveyed the Fijian Government’s best wishes to President Biden and the people of United States.
In response, Mr Campbell said that he is grateful for the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Bainimarama and the discussions they had will pave the way forward to enhance collaboration between the two nations.
“I appreciate this opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Bainimarama to reinforce U.S. and Fiji cooperation on pressing global issues like COVID-19 recovery and climate change, and to have a strategic dialogue. “This was also an important opportunity to discuss regional security developments in the region. “Our cooperation is critical to advance peace, resilience, and prosperity across the region.”
Following the courtesy call to the Prime Minister, a regional security dialogue took place between the senior officials of the United States and Fiji.
The security dialogue looked at areas of cooperation in defence and security, with a focus on platforms to deepen the level of engagement for promoting a peaceful and unified region.
