US Secretary of State to travel to Fiji and meet Bainimarama

US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken will travel to Fiji and meet Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama.

This will be the first visit by a US Secretary of State to Fiji since 1985.

Secretary Blinken will be in Fiji next Saturday.

According to the U.S Embassy in Fiji, Secretary Blinken will discuss with Bainimarama the deepening bilateral engagement and ways to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific.

When asked by a journalist in a press conference yesterday on whether the Prime Minister will resume duties at the end of this month as earlier stated, Acting Prime Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum stated that Bainimarama needs time to recuperate and they will see how it goes.

Sayed-Khaiyum says Bainimarama has been recuperating well and that’s what we all should be concerned about.

Meanwhile, Secretary Blinken will also visit Australia and Hawaii.

During his trip, he will meet with Pacific Island leaders to discuss the climate crisis, ending the COVID-19 pandemic, disaster assistance, and ways to further their shared commitment to democracy, regional solidarity, and prosperity in the Pacific.

He will also engage with Indo-Pacific allies and partners to advance peace, resilience, and prosperity across the region and demonstrate that these partnerships deliver.