[Source: Fiji Government/ Facebook]

Fiji has been offered a 99-year land lease in the Central Business District in Port Moresby for the construction of its chancery in Papua New Guinea.

This was revealed by PNG Prime Minister James Marape during a bilateral meeting with his Fijian counterpart, Sitiveni Rabuka.

The Fiji Government will also reciprocate by making land available in Suva for the construction of the PNG Chancery.

[Source: Fiji Government/ Facebook]

Rabuka says the establishment of the Fiji-PNG Missions will not only strengthen traditional ties and people-to-people links but also socio-economic development between the two countries.

He also reaffirmed Fiji’s commitment to working together with PNG to further improve and strengthen our bilateral relations.

“I apologize for what our country did two or three years ago by closing our representing office here. I have always been very careful about closing down embassies. We know the history of the First World War and the second world war, first, they close the embassy and their representative office, and after that they declare war. It’s a serious matter and we apologize and I apologize again as the prime minister to your people and your government for doing that and I hope you will allow us to reopen our presence here.”

The Fijian Chancery in PNG was closed in 2020.

The leaders also discussed prospects for more collaboration on higher education, security cooperation, agriculture, climate change, trade and investment, and promoting regional solidarity.

[Source: Fiji Government/ Facebook]

PNG Prime Minister Marape also announced at the meeting that Fiji will now be able to obtain a visa on arrival while travelling to PNG.

Marape also expressed his heartfelt appreciation to Prime Minister Rabuka for his commitment to regional solidarity.