Indonesia stands together with Fiji and it will continue to support Fiji’s national response to fight the double burden of COVID19 and climate induced challenges. This has been conveyed by Ambassador of Indonesia to the Republic of Fiji, Benyamin Scott Carnadi, while reiterating on the importance of global solidarity to overcome the current challenges incurred as a result of COVID19 pandemic.
Ambassador Carnadi applauded the Fijian Government’s prompt response towards containing COVID19. In reaffirming Indonesia’s commitment to its cooperation with Fiji, Ambassador Carnadi said that Indonesia will continue to work with Fiji in progressively achieving the common vision on rebuilding resilience and advancing SDG’s.
“Currently, our Embassy in Fiji is working with Jakarta on the potential of providing a much bigger support for Fiji amidst handling the COVID19 situation. Indonesia will continue to provide technical cooperation and capacity building to build entrepreneurships in the sectors needed by Fiji,” Ambassador Carnadi said.
He said that Indonesia is grateful to have assisted Fiji last month through providing relief supplies worth $300,000 for TC Harold rehabilitation efforts. This assistance, he said has been a demonstration of Indonesia’s commitment to its everlasting friendship and deepened partnership with Fiji that has many prospects and opportunities for the development of both nations.
He stated that the Indonesian Embassy will continue to work with the relevant agencies in Fiji and support the rebuilding strategies and programs. Providing an overview of the recent assistance provided by the people and the Government of the Republic of Indonesia to Fiji, Ambassador Carnadi said that the first batch of assistance to Fiji consisted of relief care packages organised by the Indonesian Community in Fiji.
“The first batch of assistance consisted of a cheque of FJD10,000 and FJD 5000 in the form of relief care packages which, was handed over to the National Disaster Management Office in April this year.
In its second batch of assistance, in April this year, the Indonesian Embassy provided relief assistance in the form of relief items of 400 boxes of care packages which was received by the Fiji NDMO to assist families who have been affected by TC Harold. The value for the second batch of relief assistance is around FJD 20,000.
Indonesia and Fiji have established diplomatic relations in the year 1974 and a key feature of the relations between the two nations is through the Indonesia-Fiji Preferential Trade Arrangement which is a mutually agreed framework to strengthen the bilateral trade and economic relations and boost business networking between Fiji and Indonesia.