Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka will participate in the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10) in Tokyo, Japan, next week.
Japan hosts PALM meetings every three years, bringing together Pacific leaders and Japanese officials to discuss regional issues and strengthen ties. The first PALM meeting was held in 1997, and the PALM9 was conducted online in July 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Rabuka 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 tropical interest, particularly the strategic positioning of the region.”
The PALM meeting provides a platform for Japan and Pacific leaders to discuss critical issues such as climate change, development aid, and regional security. It also allows Pacific leaders to highlight the challenges their countries face and explore regional solutions.
“I felt duty-bound to attend, being one of the founding leaders of the first meeting and given the importance of regional cooperation and development,” Mr. Rabuka said. “Our role in the global context makes it beneficial for us to be there.”
Japanese Ambassador to Fiji Rokuichiro Michii expressed gratitude for Mr. Rabuka’s attendance, noting that it demonstrated his commitment to regionalism. “We are grateful for making it possible to travel 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 important.”
The PALM meeting will take place from next Tuesday to Thursday.