As the host for the world’s most awaited sporting event, the 2023 Rugby World Cup, France aims to develop stronger partnerships with Fiji in areas such as sports, economy, trade and tourism and people to people links.
This was articulated at an introductory call to the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Honourable Lenora Qereqeretabua from the French Ambassador to Fiji Mr. François-Xavier Léger.
Honourable Qereqeretabua said Fiji looks forward to further strengthen cooperation with France at the regional and global arena.
She acknowledged France’s ongoing cooperation with Fiji and opportunities to enhance partnerships in areas such as climate change and oceans, trade and investment, defence and maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, amongst others.
On sports diplomacy, Honourable Qereqeretabua said both the nations have enormous potential to upgrade cooperation with France hosting major sports events such as the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
She said Fiji will also work closely with France as the co-chair and host of the UN Ocean Summit 2025 with new opportunities to unfold, moving forward on this crucial agenda in the coming months.
Honourable Qereqeretabua said the Fiji Ministry of Foreign Affairs will collaborate closely with France Embassy to strengthen cooperation at all levels.
Ambassador Léger congratulated Honourable Qereqeretabua on assumption of her new office and wished her very best for her tenure ahead.
He outlined new areas of cooperation France is keen to develop with Fiji particularly in areas of climate change, defence and security and sports.
“The French Development Agency is diversifying its activities, with Kiwa Initiative (nature based solutions against climate change) or the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) recently signed with the Fiji Development Bank.
“French Army in the New Caledonia and Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) are conducting valuable cooperation, especially in the field of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, maritime surveillance and fight against illegal fishing. One French Army officer will join the Black Rock training center in coming weeks,” Ambassador Léger said.
He said France looks forward to welcoming Fiji’s national team and Fijian fans for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France this September to October.
“I am sure that Flying Fijians will bring even higher the level of the game.
“2023 Rugby World Cup will give us an opportunity to deepen our common understanding and to develop our relations in many fields, whatever it might be; not only sport and people to people, but also in political, economic or cultural fields,” Ambassador Léger said.
He said France looks forward to commemorating the strong friendship shared between our two nations to be marked on July 14th during Bastille Day (French National Day).
