Aus to provide $81.5m in budget support for 2022/23 financial year

The Australian Government will be providing $81.5 million in budget support for this financial year.

While speaking after meeting Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese at the Blackrock Camp in Nadi yesterday, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says they appreciate everything they can get.

Rabuka says Albanese also reiterated his invitation for him to go to Australia and he will go.

Albanese says he has had a very positive meeting with Rabuka.

Meanwhile, the two leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to building a sustainable, peaceful, and prosperous Pacific region.

In their first in-person meeting, both leaders reinforced their strong commitment to the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership, with the focus on economic recovery, climate resilience and regional security.

Albanese’s visit to Fiji follows his recent meetings with the United States President Joe Biden, and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi.

Rabuka thanked Prime Minister Albanese for his timely visit to Fiji, symbolising Fiji and Australia’s warm relations as traditional partners in the Pacific.

The discussions outlined prospects for partnership in the areas such as Pacific-Australia labour mobility, trade and tourism, defence and security, infrastructure, health and education, women and youth empowerment.

The meeting, held at the Blackrock Camp, prompted discussions on Fiji and Australia’s cooperation to expand the facility to serve the Pacific, in mobilisation of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and regional peacekeeping training.

On behalf of the Government and the people of Fiji, Rabuka thanked the Government of Australia and its people for the tremendous support they have provided to Fiji over the years.

Rabuka commended Albanese for his exemplary leadership and unwavering support, as the two nations work collectively to recover from the pandemic, build defence and security, economic cooperation, climate action initiatives and protect the oceans and the environment for the future generations.

He reiterated Fiji’s support for Australia’s bid to host the Climate change COP31- a major opportunity to amplify Pacific voices on the acceleration of global efforts to tackle climate crisis.

On regional cooperation, Rabuka highlighted the key outcomes of the recent Pacific Islands Forum Special Leaders’ Retreat and extended his sincere appreciation for Australia’s continued support for Pacific prosperity.

Albanese has also acknowledged Rabuka’s diplomatic success in bringing Kiribati back into the Pacific Islands Forum family.

He further reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to the Vuvale Partnership, and to continuing to work with Fiji as equal partners to address shared challenges and priorities.