Honourable Matthew Wale, Prime Minister of Solomon Islands
Honourable Lord Fakafanua, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga
Members of the Fijian parliament
Members of the diplomatic corps
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Ni sa bula vinaka and good evening to you all,
- It is an honour, to be able to welcome Honourable Prime Minister Wale to Fiji and to host him and his delegation to dinner this evening.
- Fiji deeply values its relationship with Solomon Islands. Our two nations share a unique relationship dating back to the 1800s when labourers from Solomon Islands were brought to Fiji to work and help build Fiji’s economy. It is through this journey that we have descendants who now reside in Fiji and still have strong connections with their roots in the Solomon Islands.
- Our shared journey continued into the 1900s where Fijian missionaries traveled to Solomon Islands to share their Christian faith and serve in Solomon Island communities.
- The outbreak of World War 2 saw Fijian soldiers called upon to serve in this campaign and help defend our region.
- This longstanding history speaks to the enduring bond between Fiji and Solomon Islands that transcends geography, as we have walked hand in hand through various phases of our shared history.
- As we gather here this evening, we are yet again, confronted with an increasingly fragmented global landscape that demands more of us. With conflicts in distant lands of Europe and the Middle East placing considerable pressures on governments to manage their economies while at the same time reshaping the global security environment.
- While we continue to call for peace and the importance of the international rules-based order, Fiji remains committed to exploring avenues of strengthen bilateral and regional cooperation to support resilience and economic stability across our Pacific family.
- As part of our meeting today, we discussed opportunities for enhanced cooperation and I wish to reaffirm Fiji’s commitment to a deep, respectful, and forward-looking partnership with Solomon Islands.
- Fiji remains committed to a strong, forward-looking partnership with Tonga under the leadership of the Honourable Lord Fakafanua, and to the constructive resolution of outstanding bilateral issues and arrangements in a spirit of mutual respect and cooperation.
- Let us draw on inspiration from our shared history as we work together towards a shared future — one grounded in Melanesian solidarity, Pacific regionalism, and our shared vision for a Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace.
Vinaka vakalevu
