[Source: Fiji Government/ Facebook]

Fiji has reaffirmed its strong commitment to the partnership between Japan and the Pacific Island Forum members at the tenth PALM Summit in Tokyo.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka expressed these sentiments while delivering his remarks at the first session of the PALM10 this morning.

Rabuka says this is a strategic partnership, founded on historic ties and mutual trust, with Japan significantly contributing to Fiji and the broader Pacific region for about 30.

With the theme: PALM Partnership “Striding Forward Together towards 2050”, the first session of the Summit presented an opportunity for Pacific leaders to express the vision of the PIF 2050 Strategy for a Blue Pacific Continent as it applied to their lived reality at national level.

Rabuka says their shared interest is to mitigate the effects of climate change, including sea level rise, increasingly frequent and severe storms, and economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He adds this interest also included the need for adaptation and resilience as well as restitution for Loss and Damage – a vital focus given growing climate impacts.

Rabuka stresses that it is important to adopt mechanisms for vulnerable island states to access development and climate finance and concessional funding to further stimulate our economies.

As a key partner in the Pacific, the Prime Minister remarked that the region looks forward to more targeted collaboration with Japan to enhance bilateral relations and explore opportunities for deeper engagement in pursuing shared priorities.

Rabuka states that he is also advocating the Ocean of Peace Concept, which will attract investment, resilient infrastructure, and sustainable development that is devoid of conflict and confrontation.

During the first session, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stressed the importance of working together to tackle issues of mutual concern.