Newly appointed Australian Foreign Minister, Senator Penny Wong says she is coming to Fiji today to strengthen our Vuvale partnership and to discuss how we can best secure our region and help build a stronger Pacific family.
Wong says the visit, in her first week as Foreign Minister, demonstrates the importance they place on the relationship with Fiji and on the Pacific engagement.
She says Australia will listen to it’s Pacific partners as they work together to face our shared challenges and achieve our shared goals – including tackling climate change, pandemic recovery, economic development and regional security.
Wong will meet the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Voreqe Bainimarama as well as other senior ministers and Fijian women leaders, ahead of next month’s Pacific Islands Forum Women Leaders meeting.
She will also meet Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, Henry Puna, and deliver a speech at the Forum Secretariat on the new energy and commitments Australia is making to play their part in strengthening the Pacific family.
These commitments include taking real action on climate change at home and with the region, as well as increased development assistance and security cooperation, and reforming and expanding the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme.
