The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Chair and Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama met the President of the Government of New Caledonia, His Excellency Louis Mapou, this morning in Suva.
The meeting took place along the margins of 51st Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting (PIFLM) which convenes today and concludes on Thursday 14th July 2022.
The PIF Chair welcomed President Mapou to Fiji on the occasion of the 51st Pacific Island Leaders Forum Meeting and said Fiji is pleased to host the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting to deliberate on pertinent issues of priorities to the Pacific region.
He said our region has been faced with climate induced challenges, which has been further exacerbated by the pandemic.
“We reaffirmed our strength as a Pacific family. While we are still recovering from the impacts of COVID-19 and managing our vulnerabilities to climate change and its impacts, the onus is on us, as Pacific Leaders, to ensure that we, as a united region continue to place our people at the heart of all our decision making – living in a Pacific Way,” Prime Minister said.
He said the 2050 Strategy to be launched later this week will drive the region for the next 30 years and it is an opportunity for the Pacific Island Leaders to strengthen regional solidarity, in the face of increasing global and regional challenges.
He reaffirmed Fiji’s commitment to work with the Pacific Vuvale to build a unified and a stronger Pacific.
The meeting also provided the opportunity for the two leaders to discuss current areas of collaboration and future cooperation in shared priorities namely, climate change, oceans, economic resilience and trade and investment.
In response, President Mapou thanked Prime Minister Bainimarama for the opportunity to meet in person and the kind hospitality accorded to him and his delegation upon their arrival in Fiji.
He looks forward for 51st Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting and the talanoa session the Leaders will pursue will shape the future of our region.
