Media Releases
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs Fiji Fiji and Kenya Commit to Strengthen Diplomatic Ties |
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The bilateral relations between Fiji and Kenya is envisaged to strengthen in development cooperation. This follows a bilateral meeting which, was held between Fiji’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Hon. Inia Seruiratu and his Kenyan counterpart Hon. Monica Juma. The meeting which, took place at the margins of the 9th Summit of African, Caribbean, Pacific (ACP) Head of States and Governments in Kenya’s capital city Nairobi provided an opportunity for the two nations to explore potential areas of collaboration in development sectors like agriculture (research and development), sports diplomacy and private sector exchanges. The Fijian delegation to the Summit was headed by Fiji’s Foreign Minister Hon. Inia Seruiratu. He was accompanied by Fiji’s Ambassador to Brussels, Mr. Deo Saran and two officials from the Fiji Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Minister Seruiratu congratulated Minister Monica Juma for the successful hosting of the 9th ACP Leaders Summit and for assuming the Presidency of the ACP Leaders Summit for the next 3 years and reaffirmed support towards the enhancement of ACP member states cooperation and friendly relations. Foreign Minister Seruiratu reassured Minister Juma of Fiji’s support of Kenya in their tenure as President of the ACP Summit of Leaders to strengthen multilateralism and the international rules based order. Kenya’s Foreign Minister Juma commended Fiji and in particular the Prime Minister Hon. Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama for his leadership in areas of climate change among ACP member states and at global stage. Minister Juma said that partnership with Fiji will advance the work of the ACP in areas of climate change and oceans governance. To signify the mutal friendship between the two nations, Minister Seruiratu was gifted with a Masai Mara attire as a symbol of his welcome "home" to Kenya, as the cradle of human civilization. Working forward, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will work with Kenyan officials to explore and advance Kenya’s invitation to strengthen bilateral relationship between Fiji and Kenya. The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) is an organization created by the Georgetown Agreement in 1975. The ACP Group's main goals centre around the sustainable development of its Member-States and their gradual integration into the global economy; coordination of the activities of the ACP Group in the framework of the implementation of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreements; consolidation of unity and solidarity among ACP states and establishing and consolidating peace and stability in a free and democratic society. ACP Summits take place on average, every 3 years in an ACP Member State. They give ACP leaders from the 79-member ACP Group an opportunity to review the major developments of interest and concern to its members on the international scene in general, and in ACP States in particular. Leaders converge to define the main orientations of the ACP Group’s general policy for the coming years and provide the Council of Ministers with appropriate directives for its implementation. In addition, the Summit takes stock of the Group’s cooperation with the European Union, its key development partner. The first ACP Summit of Heads of State and Government was held in Libreville, Gabon, on 6th and 7th November 1997, during which the ACP Leaders undertook to meet on a regular basis. Consequently, ACP Heads of State and Government have met every two years on average, in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) on 25th and 26th November 1999; in Nadi (Fiji) on 18th and 19th July 2002; in Maputo (Mozambique) on 23rd and 24th June 2004; in Khartoum (Sudan) on 7th and 8th December 2006; and in Accra (Ghana) on 2nd and 3rd October 2008; Equatorial Guinea (Malabo) 13th and 14th December 2012; Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby) 31 May to 1 June 2016.
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Several members of Public Accounts Committee of the Fijian Parliament visiting Wellington this week took advantage of a visit to the Wellington City Council’s Southern Landfill yesterday to glean a few ideas for waste management in Fiji. This included the Hon. Alexander O’Connor, Assistant Minister for Health, Ratu Suliano Matanitobua, Opposition parliamentarian and Ms. Priya Chand, Parliamentary Secretary who were accompanied by the Fiji High Commission New Zealand staff.
The Southern landfill is an impressive setup particularly as it focuses on recycling and minimising the damage to the environment at the landfill.
Other remarkable features of the landfill were its gas collection, electricity regeneration, green waste mulching and water table management. The Hon. O’Connor, an engineer by profession, was particularly impressed and intends to develop a few ideas for the Fijian Government to consider.
The PAC members were invited to attend the Pacific PAC training seminar in Wellington facilitated by UNDP from the 12th to the 13th December.
The PAC members, including Deputy Chair, Hon. Mohammed Dean, MP, were hosted to afternoon tea at the Fiji Chancery. It was an opportunity for the Parliamentarians to meet the Locally Engaged Staff at the Mission and also update the staff on the work and concerns of the Public A
