Venkat Raman
Auckland, June 4, 2023
Twenty-five years after his visit as the Prime Minister of Fiji, Sitiveni Rabuka will return to New Zealand tomorrow (Monday, June 5, 2023) in that capacity but as a different man, with more formidable challenges to address and put his country’s economy back on track.
His earlier, week-ling visit, which occurred from October 25 to October 30, 1998, with New Zealand’s first woman Prime Minister Jenny Shipley in command, demonstrated the warmth of friendship between the two countries, with a Parliamentary welcome for the visiting leader.
That compliment will be returned as Mr Rabuka meets Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta and others in Wellington on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.
However, public meetings in Auckland and Wellington will be highlights of his visit.
Partnership Agreement
Mr Rabuka will be the first Prime Minister of Fiji to make a State Visit in almost 23 years. His predecessor Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama visited New Zealand in 2014 prior to the first general election in Fiji after the 2006 military coup, but that was a private visit. Laisenia Qarase visited this country in July 2006, months before being deposed by Mr Bainimarama in the coup.
Fiji and New Zealand signed a ‘Duavata Partnership Agreement’ on March 29, 2022 during Ms Mahuta’s visit to Fiji. The Agreement said: “Fiji and New Zealand affirm our joint ambition to elevate the relationship to a new level of expanded strategic cooperation in the years to come based on a foundation of shared values and equal partnership and achieved through trust and consultation.”
Fiji has been an important beneficiary of New Zealand Aid and Wellington has always supported Fiji with financial assistance following natural disasters and other needs. In March this year, during her meeting with Rabuka in Suva, Ms Mahuta announced a relief package of $30 million to ‘strengthen bilateral relations.’
Fiji needs an immediate boost to its trade and tourism industry, apart from investment from friendly countries such as Australia and New Zealand. The country’s trade with New Zealand is about $1.7 billion of which New Zealand’s exports accounted for almost $600 million. Tourism suffered adversely during the Covid-19 pandemic and trade has also been hit.
The increasing influence of China in Fiji and other Pacific Island countries is a source of worry for New Zealand, an issue that will certainly be raised by Mr Hipkins during his forthcoming talks with Mr Rabuka. Like Australia, New Zealand is keen to ensure that Fiji maintains a stable political climate and a progressive economy.
Diplomatic Winter
New Zealand’s relationship with Fiji came under severe strain following the December 5, 2006 military coup with the then Prime Minister Helen Clark criticising Mr Bainimarama. The diplomatic winter continued until the visit of her successor John Key to Suva on June 9, 2016.
After some plain-talking at a State Dinner, Mr Bainimarama agreed to work with the New Zealand government to rebuild the relationship.
But it was not until the appointment of New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters as the Foreign Minister (October 27, 2021) and his visit to Fiji and the four-day visit (February 24 to 27, 2020) of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern that the bilateral relations began to move forward.
Fiji’s formidable challenges
Mr Rabuka is expected to apprise Mr Hipkins of the efforts being taken by his country to revive the country’s struggling economy, and the need to boost trade, tourism and investment.
Fiji’s national debt stands at F$ 10 billion, constituting about 90% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and as the World Bank has warned, the country must take immediate steps to bring down this debt and ensure that there is no further rise.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Dr Biman Prasad hopes to bring down the debt to 50% of the GDP by 2032 and the support of New Zealand will be vital in this connection.
Budget support from the New Zealand International Development Cooperation programme is one of the ways in which Fiji can benefit and respond to its development priorities.
New Zealand is currently working with Fiji to determine governance arrangements for this budget support, as Mr Rabuka’s government confirms how the support will be applied to their priorities.
Community engagement
Aside from political and bilateral talks, engagement with the Fijian community will be high on the agenda of Mr Rabuka and his accompanying delegation.
He will be accorded a formal Maori and Fijian welcome at the Mahatma Gandhi Centre in Auckland tomorrow (June 5, 2023) at 3 pm, following which he is expected to address a public meeting and answer questions from the members of his community.
Earlier today, Senior Fijian community leader Nacanieli Yalimaiwai told Richard Kumar, a member of a committee of volunteers organising the meeting, that the visit of Mr Rabuka will be very significant to the Fiji-New Zealand relations.
“This programme is free and open to all members of the Fijian and other communities. We look forward to the participation of people across our Pacific Island nations and we are delighted that Churches and associations are working together to ensure the presence of their members to accord a fitting welcome to Mr Rabuka,” he said.
Richard said that the programme will include a variety entertainment programme presented by Fijian, Samoan, Tongan and other communities.
He can be contacted on 027-8281330.
“I urge people to be at the venue by 3 pm. Dinner will be served after the main event,” he said.
A similar reception will be accorded to Mr Rabuka at the Wellington Indian Association Hall located at 48 Kemp Street, Kilbirnie, Wellington on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 at 5 pm.
Further details can be obtained from Maciu Vucago on 0274-417341, Sai Lealea on 027-2490472 and Prem Singh on 0274-481991.
