Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka jets into Port Moresby Thursday ahead of the Pacific leaders to kick off bilateral meetings on trade and regional security.
Rabuka will reciprocate Prime Minister James Marape’s visit to Fiji early this year and will hold bilateral meetings with Marape and Government leaders.
Marape said Rabuka is expected to travel to Bitapaka, East New Britain to pay his respect to the fallen Fijian soldiers buried there.
“Fiji Prime Minister is coming early this Thursday, he is reciprocating my visit to him early this year. He is coming this Thursday as the first Pacific Leader that will arrive,” Marape said.
“We will accord him full welcome at the airport from a bilateral perspective we will be hosting a dinner for him at the National Parliament State Function Room.
“… and on Friday he is possibly going to visit the Bitapaka war cemetery, one of the highest posthumously one of the Fijian soldiers is buried at Bitapaka, he might be visiting there and he comes back,” Marape said.
Early this year, Marape told Rabuka in Fiji that PNG had so much to offer and gain from Fiji, among the issues addressed were an offer of land for the country to build its embassy, including others.
This also included re-opening of a high commission in the country including the appointment of a high commissioner to represent the country in PNG.
Prime Minister Rabuka said he was looking forward to meeting with Marape commending him for the opportunity to meet with Indian PM Narendra Modi at the 3rd Forum for India and Pacific Island Cooperation Summit.
Rabuka will be among the Pacific Island leaders who will gather in PNG for the 3rd FIPIC summit.
The Fiji PM told the Post-Courier the meetings will give him an opportunity to further enhance Fiji and PNG and Fiji and India’s regional cooperation on issues of common interest.
SOURCE: POST COURIER/PACNEWS
