Qereqeretabua meets Japanese delegation
The Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lenora Qereqeretabua, on Friday received a courtesy call from the Special Envoy of the Japanese Prime Minister and Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Masahiro Komura.
The first of such visit from the Special Envoy demonstrated Japan’s unwavering commitment to strengthen diplomatic relations and cooperation.
Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida has extended an invitation to Prime Minister. Sitiveni Rabuka to visit Japan at the margins of the Pacific Island Leaders Meeting (PALM10) Meeting. In receiving the delegation, Ms Qereqeretabua acknowledged Japan’s ongoing support to Fiji and thanked Mr Komura for his timely visit which is an opportunity to further deepen collaboration between Fiji and Japan.
The PALM10 Leaders Meeting is scheduled from July 16 - 18. Ms Qereqeretabua welcomed Japan’s recently established Official Security Assistance (OSA) programme which enabled equipment upgrade to enhance Fiji’s maritime security and law enforcement capability.
Fiji is part of the first batch of countries to receive OSA assistance, with Japan working on expediating the project to provide patrol boats and other related maritime equipment to Fiji.
She thanked JICA volunteers for their contributions and JICA led initiatives such as scholarships offered to Fijians and projects aimed at improving the livelihood of communities in Fiji.
Through its renewed framework for development cooperation, Japan aims to strengthen engagements with Fiji in areas of climate change and disaster risk management, nation building efforts, economic and business relations, infrastructure development, and people-to-people exchanges.
Under PALM10, Japan aims to deepen engagements with Fiji. Mr. Komura said Japan attached great importance to its partnership with Fiji as the hub of the Pacific with immense potentials for economic growth and investment. Mr Komura commended Mr Rabuka for his exemplary leadership and reasserted Japan’s interest in his concept on the Ocean of Peace.
He said Japan stood ready to support Fiji in its development priorities and aspirations.
He expressed his appreciation for the warm hospitality accorded to him upon his arrival and looked forward for further deliberations to take Fiji-Japan relations to new heights. With a renewed commitment, JICA resumed the Volunteer Programme in May 2023, with 753 volunteers dispatched to Fiji since the inception of our cooperation in July 1983.
JICA Scholarships provides opportunities for Fijians to study at the Japanese Universities.
To date, 45 students had been dispatched from Fiji under the programme.