The United Nations is all about peace and choosing your battles – in keeping with that the Prime Minister did something no New Zealand leader has done in almost a decade since the Fiji coup – he met with its Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama.
Advertisement
Previous year Mr Bainimarama held long promised elections and was elected prime minster.
He says as Fiji participates in the Human Rights Council, it finds yet again that the voice and the unique concerns of the Pacific small island developing states have trouble being heard.
This was the first time for the two Prime Ministers to officially meet after the 2006 takeover and the 2014 general elections.
“I think I’m the first [New Zealand] prime minister to speak to him since the breakdown I relations in the Helen Clark era”, John Key said. Despite boycotting the recent Pacific Island Leaders’ Forum in protest against Australia and New Zealand, Mr Bainimarama greeted Mr Key warmly when they met. The pair chatted about Fiji’s upcoming game against Wales in the Rugby World Cup which Mr Bainimarama will travel to watch.
Bainimarama says this includes issues like climate change. He noted that this useful initiative took place during New Zealand’s presidency of the Security Council. With that Mr Key said “it was time to put the past behind us and move forward”. He said the sanctuary would cover 15 per cent of New Zealand’s EEZ, an area twice the size of NZ’s landmass.
PM Bainimarama informed Mr Key of Fiji’s own efforts to safeguard Sustainable Development Goal 14, the Ocean’s Goal, by inaugurating the Triennial Conferences on Oceans and Seas.
Advertisement
He says he is happy that those who were criticising Fiji are now engaging with the government.
