The Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola today signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) under the Fiji Volunteer Scheme (FVS) with Vanuatu’s Minister for Education, Honorable Bob Loughman.
In a historic development, Vanuatu becomes the first country in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to sign the volunteer service agreement that will see the engagement of experienced teachers from Fiji to work in Vanuatu.
Ratu Inoke said this agreement builds on the development cooperation MOU signed by the leaders of the two countries on the margins of the UNGA this last September to cooperate on a range of areas. “Fiji wishes to share its experiences of good practices in areas of education, public administration, disaster management, peacekeeping, social protection and environment. And in pursuing this initiative, the Government of Fiji supports the human resource development of its neighbors. “
He further said that this was reinforced by the two fold increase in the 2014 budget allocation to the Fiji Volunteer Scheme recently announced by Fiji’s Prime Minister.
Similar development cooperation agreements have already been signed by Fiji with Nauru and the Marshall Islands. Fiji nationals are already working in the education sector of the two countries.
Under the terms of the agreement, Ratu Inoke said the costs will be shared between the two countries and in their collaboration would act in good faith to see that the bilateral agreement flourishes.
Ratu Inoke said that “Fiji is grateful to the Government of Vanuatu for accepting to utilize the Fiji Volunteer Scheme and this historic milestone realizes our commitment to growing closer and mutually beneficial relations within the MSG framework.”
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