Dr. Taga Receives Courtesy Call from U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Australia, New Zealand and The Pacific Islands
21/04/2026
Ministry Hosts Appreciation Luncheon for Members of The Diplomatic Corps
23/04/2026Published On: 22/04/2026
The Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Hon. Lenora Qereqeretabua, received a courtesy call from the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Diene Keita, on Monday (20.04.2026) at the Ministry’s headquarters.
Speaking during the meeting, Assistant Minister Qereqeretabua noted the critical role UNFPA plays in supporting Fiji’s national development objectives. She highlighted the intersection of the country’s drug crisis, rising transnational crime, and HIV epidemic as a matter of serious national concern requiring close collaboration with UNFPA and other development partners.
The Assistant Minister also commended UNFPA for its continued commitment to strengthening Fiji’s sexual and reproductive health services, including support for the Makoi Maternity Unit, the country’s first midwifery-led facility providing quality maternal healthcare to expectant mothers.
Assistant Minister Qereqeretabua affirmed that Fiji remains committed to working closely with UNFPA to advance the health, rights, and wellbeing of its people, particularly women, girls, and young people. She emphasised that the partnership with UNFPA remains vital as Fiji navigates the challenges facing both the nation and the wider region, adding that a collective approach will always deliver stronger outcomes.
Under-Secretary-General Keita also took the opportunity to commend the leadership of Assistant Minister Lenora Qereqeretabua, underscoring the importance of advancing women in leadership roles. She highlighted a range of initiatives that UNFPA could support to strengthen the capacity of young women leaders, noting potential avenues for Fiji to implement these programmes at the national level.
Fiji will host the Pre-COP in October 2026 ahead of COP31, presenting a further opportunity to advance the rights and resilience of women and girls through the Fiji–UNFPA partnership.
The meeting builds on productive discussions held the previous month between Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Hon. Sakiasi Ditoka and the Director & Representative of the UNFPA, Ms. Bidisha Pillai, further strengthening Fiji’s partnership with UNFPA.
