PM to Attend PALM Meeting in Tokyo
The PALM meeting allows Japan and Pacific leaders to engage in important discussions surrounding climate change, development aid and strategic security for the region.
Friday 12 July 2024 | 15:53
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka will be part of 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 issues of the region to strengthen its ties with the region.
The meeting was first hosted in 1997 while the PALM9 was held online in July 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr Rabuka is one of the Pacific leaders who attended the inaugural PALM in 1997.
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“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 tropic interest, which is the use of the region for strategic positioning, we need to be aware of those.”
The PALM meeting allows Japan and Pacific leaders to engage in important discussions surrounding climate change, development aid and strategic security for the region.
It is also a platform where Pacific leaders highlight issues they face as a country and how best the region can assist them.
“I felt duty bound to be there being one of the founding leaders who attended the first one and the whole issue of regionalisation and regional cooperation and development,” Mr Rabuka said.
“Our role in the universe and global, it will be good for us to go there.”
Japanese Ambassador to Fiji Rokuichiro Michii is grateful of Mr Rabuka’s attendance.
Mr Michii said Mr Rabuka’s attendance displayed 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, it’s a source of stability, therefore, his presence is very, very important.”
The PALM will be from next Tuesday to Thursday.
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