Foreign Minister to meet with Fijian PM
Hon Gerry Brownlee
Minister of Foreign Affairs
30 May
2017
Foreign Minister to meet with Fijian PM
Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee will travel to Fiji
today to meet with Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama.
“I last visited Fiji in December 2014 as Defence Minister and am looking forward to discussing a range of matters with Prime Minister Bainimarama,” Mr Brownlee says.
“These will include regional issues, our Defence and disaster risk reduction ties, and New Zealand’s aid and development programme.
“The Royal New Zealand Navy has recently deployed inshore patrol vessel HMNZS Hawea to Fiji for six months to help bolster the nation’s maritime security and to protect its fisheries.
"Fiji is an island nation, like
New Zealand, and therefore protecting our maritime borders
is extremely important.
“New Zealand’s response to
Cyclone Winston in 2016 demonstrated the deep friendship
between the people of our two countries. Responding to
natural disasters is an area where I believe we could more
closely collaborate.
“Fiji is New Zealand’s largest
trading partner in the Pacific and a growing number of New
Zealand businesses are active there.
“While in Suva I will also meet with Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Dame Meg Taylor,” Mr Brownlee says.
ends