Expect greater cooperation between RFMF and Australian Defence Forces after the signing of a Status of Forces Agreement

A Status of Forces Agreement has been signed between Fiji and Australia that greatly enhance defence cooperation program and facilitate greater exchange of personnel between Fiji and Australia.

While signing the Agreement with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles at Blackrock Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Camp in Nadi, Minister for Defence, Inia Seruiratu says the Vuvale partnership exemplifies the strong family bond between Fiji and Australia and the signing of the Agreement marks a new height of security cooperation between the two nations.

Seruiratu says this Agreement reflects the increased cooperation between our forces to address traditional and non-traditional security threats including climate change, humanitarian crisis and disasters.

He says the greater exchange of personnel between Fiji and Australia will not only enhance the capacity and capability development ambitions of the RFMF but will also strengthen the inter-operability between the RFMF and the Australian Defence Forces.

He says the Agreement covers practical issues including immigration and customs arrangement for visiting forces, to wear uniforms while in other country and criminal and civil jurisdiction over visiting forces while in the other country.

Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says what is clear about all of this is now is the time to be close to friends and they do not have closer friends than Fiji.

Marles says we live in a very challenging strategic times and the strategic circumstances around the world are as precarious as it has ever been since the end of the second world war and how they deal with that is obvious.

He says we are seeing there are more weather events in our region which in turn places a pressure of their defence forces as they respond to those disasters through the provision of humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

Marles says this is a rare agreement amongst the community of nations and it speaks to how close their relationship is to Fiji.

The Deputy Prime Minister adds it is a very significant step in the relationship between the two forces and as such it is a very significant step between the two countries.