Prime Minister Honourable Sitiveni Rabuka this morning reaffirmed Fiji’s strong and longstanding relationship with Vanuatu during a bilateral meeting on the margins of the Pre-COP31 conference in Nadi.
The Prime Minister met with his Vanuatu counterpart Hon. Jonatham Napat where they discussed strengthening cooperation in trade, labour mobility, agriculture, tourism, education, climate resilience, maritime connectivity and infrastructure.
Prime Minister Rabuka also thanked Vanuatu for the allocation of land to Fiji in Port Vila and welcomed continued cooperation towards its development.
During the meeting, Fiji welcomed Vanuatu’s interest in strengthening defence cooperation, particularly in peacekeeping training and broader security capacity-building.
The Leaders also discussed the ongoing maritime boundary discussions and reaffirmed their commitment to resolving outstanding issues peacefully and in accordance with international law.
On climate change, Fiji and Vanuatu agreed on the importance of maintaining a strong and united Pacific voice ahead of Pre-COP31 and COP31, particularly on climate finance, loss and damage and keeping the 1.5°C goal alive.
In his concluding remarks, Prime Minister Rabuka commended Vanuatu’s leadership on climate justice and its contribution to advancing Pacific priorities through international forums.
In his response, Prime Minister Napat said Vanuatu looks forward to working closely with Fiji to advance shared bilateral and regional priorities for the benefit of both peoples.
Both sides ended their discussions on the Melanesian Spearhead Group and further welcomed cooperation, including efforts to advance the MSG Trade Agreement and strengthen regional unity.
