Indonesia, Fiji Discuss Development Cooperation in Pacific Region

Jakarta, 19 Dzulhijjah 1437/21 September 2016 (MINA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno L.P. Marsudi held a bilateral meeting with her Fijian counterpart, Josaia Vorueqe Bainimarama, to discuss development cooperation in the Pacific region, Antara reported.

“Indonesia and Fiji will strengthen and encourage the development cooperation in the region,” Retno Marsudi said, in a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received here on Wednesday.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, United States on September 19, 2016.

During the discussion, Foreign Minister Retno said that Indonesia and Fiji had similar concerns about establishing peace and a conducive situation in the Pacific region.

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Both countries also had agreed to develop cooperation in their economies, development and trade.

“We have to encourage the interaction of business people to strengthen economic relations in both countries and regions. Fiji is the largest trade partner for Indonesia in the Pacific region,” the minister noted.

Furthermore, the Foreign Minister has lobbied Fiji to support Indonesia to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2019 to 2020 period.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister of Fiji Bainimarama said that Indonesias assistance, particularly in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Queen Victoria School (QVS), had helped in rebuilding education in Fiji.

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In March, Cyclone Winston, a powerful storm, struck Fiji. The tropical cyclone destroyed schools, houses, churches, roads and crops.

Indonesia and Fiji created a cooperation program called Disaster Risk Management.

The foreign minister also reiterated the position of Fiji to respect the territorial integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

At the end of the discussion, the Indonesian Foreign Minister invited all members of The Melanesian Spearhead Group Foreign Ministers to attend the Bali Democracy Forum in December 2016. (T/R07/R01)

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Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)