Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong will travel to Fiji to attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers Meeting on Friday, where regional leaders will discuss key priorities ahead of next month’s Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau.
The meeting will bring together foreign ministers from the Forum’s 18 members to prepare for the leaders’ summit and advance discussions on regional issues, including peace and security, climate change and economic development.
Wong said the gathering comes at a time when closer regional cooperation is increasingly important.
“At a time of global uncertainty, it is more important than ever that Pacific countries work together to advance our shared interests, uphold Pacific priorities and strengthen the peace, stability and prosperity of our region.
“By bringing together its 18 members, the PIF makes us stronger and more resilient,” she said.
The visit follows the signing last month of two new treaties between Australia and Fiji in Suva – the Vuvale Union and the Ocean of Peace Alliance – aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and boosting long-term prosperity, security and resilience.
The agreements are also the first treaties to implement the Ocean of Peace Declaration, endorsed by Pacific leaders in 2025, with regionalism forming the foundation of both arrangements.
Wong reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to the Pacific Islands Forum, describing Australia as a reliable regional partner.
“As a founding member of the PIF, Australia is a partner the region can count on.
“Australia strongly supports the PIF’s role in bringing countries together and advancing our shared vision of a region where nations can make their own choices and shape their own futures,” she said.
