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