Advancing regional cooperation and Pacific solidarity is of the utmost importance for the strategic partnership between #Fiji and the United States.
This was emphasised at a courtesy call to the Permanent Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs, Mr Yogesh Karan, from United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Mr Mark Baxter Lambert, yesterday (07/06/22).
On behalf of Prime Minister Bainimarama, Mr Karan formally welcomed Mr Lambert to Fiji for his first official visit, which builds the momentum of Fiji–United States cordial relations reinforced through the recent visit of U.S. Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, to our shores.
Mr Karan said that Fiji looks forward to further cooperation with the United States through the Indo-Pacific Economic Partnership and Maritime Domain Awareness initiatives, partnership in the areas of humanitarian service, climate and oceans, disaster risk resilience, defence and security, trade and investment, and economic recovery, amongst others.
Both sides have agreed on continued consultations for the realisation of shared priorities in climate change and oceans, defence and security, economic prosperity, trade and investment, and building disaster risk resilience, amongst others.
Fiji welcomes regular visits from high level officials of the United States, which strengthen cooperation on issues of importance to Fiji and the region.
Mr Karan also took the opportunity to update Mr Lambert on the upcoming Pacific Island Forum Leaders meeting scheduled next month from 12 to 14 July 2022.
He thanked the United States for their support to the Pacific family and he urged for greater cooperation in building a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient Blue Pacific.
In response, Mr Lambert thanked Mr Karan for the opportunity to meet in person and stated that the discussions they had will further strengthen Fiji–United States relations.
“I appreciated the chance to meet with Permanent Secretary Karan to discuss U.S.–Fiji shared foreign policy priorities and how we can partner to tackle challenges like the climate crisis, as well as to promote a peaceful, safe, and prosperous Pacific. I also thanked him for Fiji’s principled condemnation of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.”
