Rewa high chief and former United Nations security official Ro Naulu Mataitini has warned that Fiji is undermining its own foreign policy by sidelining its diplomats and leaving room for foreign envoys to shape national decisions. In a blunt social media statement posted on April 27, Mataitini said political behaviour and a lack of strategic focus have eroded Fiji’s ability to safeguard its interests as global powers expand their presence in Suva.
Mataitini told followers that the pattern of political self-regard among elected leaders — promising much to win office and then succumbing to “ceremonial glorification” once inside Parliament — has weakened government decision-making. “There is something about politicians. To get elected, they will promise anything. But once inside Parliament, too many follow their worst instincts,” he wrote, adding that many come to believe “they know more than anyone else” and lack the self-awareness to see the damage this does to reputation, party and government.
Turning to Fiji’s external posture, Mataitini argued that the diplomatic balance is now skewed in favour of foreign missions. He said new embassies and non-resident ambassadors are arriving in Suva not for consular business but to advance strategic national interests, and that these posts are being properly resourced. “They see Fiji as a platform for influence in the Pasifika. They send their best people. They resource them properly,” he said.
By contrast, Mataitini questioned whether Fiji gives comparable priority to its own diplomatic footprint in capitals such as Canberra, Beijing, Wellington and Washington. “Are we resourcing our embassies to advance and defend Fiji’s interests? Or are we reducing them to protocol and consular offices?” he asked, urging a reassessment of how Fiji leverages the insights of its Heads of Missions and whether ministers are too readily accessible to foreign envoys.
Mataitini singled out Australia as a prime example of the imbalance. He said Fiji has had three Australian high commissioners who “exerted and continue to exert enormous influence over our government,” and accused the current high commissioner of “selling Australia’s interests brilliantly” — a success Mataitini attributes to “our political gullibility.”
As of publication there was no immediate public response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Office of the Prime Minister to Mataitini’s comments. The chief’s intervention comes amid a wider regional backdrop in which capitals in the Pacific have become focal points for intensified geopolitical competition, with several countries expanding diplomatic representation and engagement across the region.
Mataitini concluded by calling for a “strategic reset” of Fiji’s foreign policy, saying the questions he raised go to the heart of the country’s international engagement and must be addressed “especially now.” His warning adds to ongoing debate in Fiji about governance and the capacity of state institutions to protect national interests as external actors increase their influence in the Pacific.