Sixteen Fijians pursuing their Masters will join 10 other Fijians who are now studying under the Pacific Leaders’ Educational Assistance for Development of State (LEADS), Japanese Scholarship programme.

The new batch will be joined by five i-Kiribati, one Tuvaluan and three from Vanuatu when they depart for Japan on Monday.

The Pacific islanders will attain their master’s degrees from respective Japanese universities and work on internships in Japan during the duration of their scholarships.

Ambassador of Japan, Masahiro Omura will host the send off reception for scholarship recipients of the Pacific LEADS Programme 2017 on Friday.

The Pacific-LEADS programme is a new training programme for young leaders in the Pacific, which was announced by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the 7th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM 7).

Japan and Pacific Island Countries (PICs) have been building close cooperative relationships, forging the bond of friendship through candid discussion at Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALMs).

Leaders openly discuss various issues such as the challenges regarding their small size and land distribution over a wide area, distance from major international markets, and the vulnerability to natural disasters and climate change. Leaders from 17 countries including Japan take part in PALM.

The 17 countries are: Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

PALM enhances co-operation focused on disaster risk reduction; climate change; the environment; people-to-people exchanges; sustainable development (including human resource development); oceans, maritime issues, and fisheries; and trade, investment, and tourism.

He said young leaders will attend the send-off reception before they depart for Japan on August 14, 2017.

“In Japan, they will be joined by 16 other young leaders,” Mr Omura said.

“Six are from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Republic of Palau, Federated states of Micronesia, Niue and Tonga, as the total number of the scholarship recipients for the second batch is 41.

“The first batch of 39 participants, including 10 Fijians, four I-Kiribati and two Ni-Vanuatu young leaders, are currently studying in Japan,” Mr Omura said.

Edited by Karalaini Waqanidrola