Rabuka takes over MSG leadership, vows unity and progress

As Fiji takes on the mantle of leadership, it builds on the hard work and success that have been laid before it.

This has been highlighted by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka during the handover of the Melanesian Spearhead Group chairmanship today by the Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Jotham Napat.

Rabuka says he will not take the responsibility of chairmanship lightly, especially as they are confronted with an increasingly fragmented global landscape that demands more from them.

The Prime Minister says these circumstances only reaffirm the need to remain united, to stand together in solidarity, and to uphold their shared hope for a peaceful and prosperous Melanesia.

Rabuka adds that he looks forward to continuing to work with Melanesian leaders to advance Melanesia as a region of opportunity.

Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Jotham Napat says the heading of the title is a symbol of the passing of a sacred flame, lit by their forebears, carried by their leaders, and fueled by the enduring hopes of their people.

Napat says that since its inception in 1986, the MSG was born not merely as a political construct, but as a manifestation of ancestral kinship, cultural tapestry, and collective aspiration for self-determination, peace, and prosperity.

He says they are not merely passing on a position, but a legacy rooted in solidarity, inclusivity, and a shared destiny.