Pacific Leaders to attend historic meeting

Leaders of the Pacific Island states, including Fiji, will be hoping to tap into the $5.25 billion in Foreign economic aid offered annually by the United Arab Emirates at a historic meeting in Abu Dhabi later this week.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs will convene the first ever Pacific Island Arab League Summit entitled "Prospects for Cooperation between the Arab world and the Pacific Islands" to be held in Abu Dhabi at the Emirates Palace later this week.

The Ministry says following his visit to the Pacific region in February this year, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan was inspired by the unexplored opportunities that could be developed between the Arab world and the island states of the Pacific and the potential to strengthen relations on the political, economic and cultural levels.

Fiji=s Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama and Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum are amongst the 14 Pacific Island leaders who will engage in intense talks with the 21 member countries of the Arab League to explore social, political and economic partnerships and to exchange dialogue on the issues and challenges that are affecting both regions.

The Ministry said the meeting is set to create the foundation for a strong friendship and cooperation framework between the Pacific island states and the countries of the Arab world and follows in the footsteps of the Pacific Islands Partnership programme launched earlier this year committing US$50 million to finance specific projects and partnerships in the Pacific Islands in key development areas, including renewable energy, education, social and health care services as well as infrastructure.

Sheikh Abdullah said that the meeting promises to provide a historic opportunity to work together and agree a way forward developing partnerships in the areas of renewable energy, tourism and hospitality, healthcare and education and combating climate change.

Boasting a gross domestic product of over $163 billion a year, the country is renown for its oil production and exports over $157 billion in petroleum, gas, and petroleum products.

The UAE's Foreign economic aid is in excess of $5.25 billion per year and many Pacific Islands are hoping to tap into these resources.

The meeting will be held this Wednesday and Thursday.