Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama met with the Prime Minister of the Lebanese Republic, Saad Al‑Hariri, during his annual visit to Fijian troops in the Middle East.
In the meeting, the two Prime Ministers, who last met in 2016, discussed the nation’s progress to newly‑heightened levels of peace and political stability, a development that has resulted in the UN declaring the peacekeeping campaign there a success.
Bainimarama says that Fiji was incredibly proud to have played a role in uplifting Lebanon to where it stands today, and thanked his counterpart for the hospitality that the Lebanese people have shared with Fijian Peacekeepers over the years.
He adds that Fiji stands ready to re-engage in Lebanon should duty call, and wished Saad Al‑Hariri well in leading a responsible government that will bring Lebanon into a brighter future.
Saad Al‑Hariri thanked Bainimarama for Fiji’s unwavering and outsized support of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon, which has been critical to politically stabilising the country and keeping it on a steady path to development. He further praised the character and goodwill of Fijian Peacekeepers, saying that they went above and beyond the call of duty to build strong relations with local communities in Lebanon.
The Lebanese PM also expressed his support for Fiji’s global leadership on climate and oceans, expressing concern over the impacts of a changing climate and rising sea levels in Fiji. He expressed strong interest in visiting Fiji in the near future.
