Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka will participate in the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10) in Tokyo, Japan, next week.
Every three years, Japan hosts PALM meetings where Pacific leaders and Japan gather to exchange candid views on regional issues to strengthen their ties. The first meeting was held in 1997, while PALM9 took place online in July 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Rabuka was among the Pacific leaders who attended the inaugural PALM in 1997.
“For us, it’s just a continuation of the first PALM,” he said. “It’s our regional cooperation, and we’ll be focusing on the topic of regional strategic positioning, which we need to be aware of.”
The PALM meeting provides a platform for Japan and Pacific leaders to engage in significant discussions about climate change, development aid, and strategic security for the region. It also allows Pacific leaders to highlight issues their countries face and how the region can assist them.
“I felt duty-bound to be there as one of the founding leaders who attended the first one, focusing on regional cooperation and development,” Mr. Rabuka said. “Our role in the global context makes it important for us to go there.”
Japanese Ambassador to Fiji, Rokuichiro Michii, expressed gratitude for Mr. Rabuka’s attendance, noting it demonstrates his commitment to regionalism.
“We are grateful for his attendance because Fiji’s bilateral relations are very important,” he said. “In this region, Fiji plays a central role and is a source of stability; therefore, his presence is very, very important.”
The PALM meeting will be held from next Tuesday to Thursday.