Fiji – Nauru Relations:

  • Fiji and Nauru have cordial formal diplomatic relations and Fiji is one of the very few countries where Nauru has diplomatic presence. Most countries that recognize Nauru accredit their embassies or High Commissions to Fiji to serve Nauru. This is a clear indicator of Fiji’s importance as the diplomatic hub for Nauru.
  • With regards to Civil Aviation, Nauru’s national airline ‘Our Airline’ operates the Brisbane – Honiara – Nauru – Tarawa – Nadi route twice weekly.
  • The close relationship between Nauru and Australia and Nauru’s dependence on Australia has implications for Fiji’s relations with Nauru. In particular, Australia’s use of Nauru as a point for processing asylum seekers places pressures on Fiji in terms of the services and assistance that Fiji provides to Nauru as well as those that Nauru requests for from Fiji. This will continue to be a challenge for Fiji in upcoming years.

Development Cooperation

  • Fiji and Nauru signed an MOU on Development Cooperation on 16 June, 2011 in areas of: Bilateral Trade and Investments, Education, Youth and Human Resource Development, Labor mobility, Immigration, Commerce, Retail and Taxation, Fisheries Cooperation, Air & Sea Transportation, Health and Pharmaceuticals, Climate Change, Environment, Security and Energy. The MOU was renewed for another 3 years in 2014 and since then has expired. Both parties have agreed for the renewal of the MOU and the same is currently being processed for renewal.
  • Fiji has assisted Nauru with the development of their education curriculum and plans to further initiate development programs in areas of Human Resource Management. Fiji continues to encourage labor mobility between Nauru and Fiji. Nauru currently employs many Fiji nationals in areas of education (teachers), nurses and in technical fields such as information technology, engineering and construction.
  • Nauru and Fiji has so far engaged in 2 Agreements for the Fiji Volunteer Services Scheme. The first Agreement was signed in December 2012 dispatching six (6) teachers on placement to Nauru. The most recent FVS Agreement was signed in December 2017 with plans to send another 8 volunteer teachers to Nauru. Nauru has communicated their appreciation to Fiji for the provision of volunteers to Nauru and highlighted the immense positive contribution such initiatives have made in the development of their Education sector.
  • On 3rd September 2015, on the margins of the Third PIDF Summit, an MOA on Police Cooperation between Nauru and Fiji was signed. The MOA covers Police Cooperation largely in the areas of training and capacity building for Nauru police officers including peace keeping training, specialized trainings, attachments and the sharing of Fiji Community Policing Initiatives.
  • Since the signing, two officers from the Fiji Police Force have paid a visit to the Nauru Police Force. The MOA recognizes the potential that Fiji has to host a regional training centre thereby strengthening Fiji’s position as the hub of the region.
  • Additionally, in 2015, Nauru was included into the South-South Cooperation Project (SSCP), a triangular cooperation agreement between Japan, Fiji and a few of the Pacific Island Countries & Territories (PICTs) namely Kiribati, Tuvalu and Nauru. Nauru is now able to send up to two officers with the possibility of more dependent upon the availability to trainings being conducted by the PSC supported by JICA. Nauru has already been included into two of the trainings. The project is a way in which Fiji is able to offer support to neighbouring countries development aspirations through the provision of regional trainings. Additionally, the project further consolidates Fiji’s role as the hub of the Pacific as it capitalizes on Fiji’s ability to host and carry out regional trainings.
  • Under the larger umbrella of the MOU on Development Cooperation, Nauru has expressed its interest for greater cooperation in the areas of Health and Fisheries. There is a possibility of an MOA on Health and Pharmaceuticals as well as an MOA on Fisheries to be pursued in order to strengthen relations. Although there is greater demand for more teachers under the FVS, it is limited by a lack of accommodation in Nauru.