Following a meeting with Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama at the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Honourable Penny Wong, said that Australia appreciates Fiji’s leadership in response to Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting is currently underway in Indonesia.
Fiji condemned the Russian invasion in its immediate aftermath and has continued to raise concerns about the war’s humanitarian costs and impact on global food supply.
At the BRICS Summit last month, Prime Minister Bainimarama addressed world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, over a video conference call and condemned conflict in all its forms.
“All leaders must act to solve humanity’s problems, not create new ones, the worst of which is conflict. Whatever name we give them, wars are a tragic waste of resources that could be spent improving the quality of life for all people. And given the interconnected nature of our world, conflict anywhere can deny even the most basic access, such as food and energy, for hundreds of millions of people – further marginalising the already marginalised.”
The Prime Minister also tweeted that Fijians and billions of others are paying the price of the Russian war every time we buy food, ship freight, use fertiliser, and pump fuel.
Minister Wong also hailed Fiji’s climate leadership and said she looks forward to joining Prime Minister Bainimarama at the 51st Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting which will be held next week in Suva from Monday 11 to Thursday 14 July 2022.
Prime Minister Bainimarama thanked Minister Wong for conveying Australia’s continued support to Fiji and he reaffirmed the Fijian’s Government’s commitment to Vuvale Partnership, which is a testament of Fiji and Australia’s strong bonds of friendship and shared aspirations on the advancement of regional solidarity.
