non-resident ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands visits Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Dr Raijeli Taga this morning received a courtesy visit from the Non-Resident Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands to Fiji, Mr. Adrianus M. M van der Vorst. The meeting convened at the Fiji Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters was an avenue to explore ways to deepen the bilateral relations between the two nations.

Dr Taga welcomed Ambassador Vorst and acknowledged that there is potential to further strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation between the two nations. She acknowledged Netherlands ongoing cooperation with Fiji through the European Union (EU). The engagements cover a wide range of topics including sustainable livelihoods, governance, gender and human rights, climate change and disaster risk reduction – areas that contribute meaningfully towards Fiji’s national development.

Dr Taga noted with appreciation that there has been an increasing number of Fijians studying in the Netherlands in recent years. On regional priorities, Dr Taga highlighted the Oceans of Peace Concept that underscores Pacific’s shared commitment to global peace and security, and region’s collective support for the 2050 Strategy and its implementation plan.

In conclusion, Dr Taga said the Ministry looks forward to working closely with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Wellington, New Zealand to progressively advance the relations between the two nations.

Ambassador Adrianus M. M van der Vorst thanked Dr Taga for the constructive dialogue they had on building an enduring partnership between Fiji and the Kingdom of Netherlands. He is grateful for the kind hospitality accorded to him during his visit to Fiji this week. The Ambassador remains optimistic that the cooperation between our two nations will continue to elevate to new levels.

Since the establishment of the diplomatic relations in 1972, Fiji and Netherlands have collaborated mainly through multilateral commitments at the United Nations on key areas such as peacekeeping, peace and security, water management, sustainable development and climate change.