Hon. Ditoka Engages UK to Benchmark Protocol Standards

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Hon. Sakiasi Ditoka, met with the Vice-Marshal and senior representatives of the United Kingdom’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) at Lancaster House in London.

The meeting focused on strengthening Fiji’s diplomatic protocol services through benchmarking against internationally recognised United Kingdom standards and best practices.

Discussions built on earlier consultations between Fiji and the FCDO on specialised protocol training for officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET). The initiative is aimed at strengthening Fiji’s institutional capacity to plan, coordinate and deliver high-level diplomatic engagements in line with globally recognised protocol standards.

Hon. Ditoka acknowledged the United Kingdom’s longstanding support and emphasised that adopting elements of the UK’s protocol framework would help modernise Fiji’s diplomatic service while improving the efficiency, precision, and professionalism of state and diplomatic engagements.

“While Fiji has considerable experience in hosting international meetings and high-level visits, there is clear value in benchmarking our protocol systems against established international standards such as those practiced in the United Kingdom,” Hon. Ditoka said.

He noted that the UK’s protocol architecture—particularly the clear demarcation of responsibilities across institutions and the structured coordination of state ceremonies and diplomatic engagements—offers practical lessons that Fiji can adapt to strengthen its own protocol services.

The collaboration will support the development of specialised training modules for Fijian protocol officers and further assist the Ministry in designing a standardised Protocol Manual aligned with international best practice.

Strengthening protocol capacity is a key investment as Fiji continues to expand its diplomatic footprint and host an increasing number of regional and international engagements. The engagement forms part of Fiji’s broader efforts to build a modern, professional foreign service capable of delivering world-class diplomatic and state protocol services.