By Claire Mauta
At the margins of the 2024 MSG Budget Foreign Ministers Meeting held recently in Port Vila, Vanuatu, PNG Foreign Affairs Minister Justin Tkatchenko met with Fiji’s Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Lenora Qereqeretabua, discussing the two countries bilateral engagements.
Both Foreign Affairs Ministers reaffirmed support and commitment to ensure the building of each country’s respective diplomatic chanceries in the capitals are facilitated and implemented immediately.
Minister Tkachenko stated that K5.5million was pledged by PNG to support affected schools in Fiji following the tropical cyclone Wilson in 2016, Minister Tkachenko urged Fiji to quickly identify the needy schools for these funds to be utilized to renovate selected and affected schools.
Both Ministers acknowledged the need to promote trade and investment at the bilateral level including under the MSG Trade Agreement.
Minister Tkatchenko congratulated Fiji for signing onto the MSGTA and informed that PNG is committed and will sign onto the agreement once internal requirements are completed.
“Under the BSA that PNG has partnered with Australia on the Pacific Training Center established in Bomana. PNG has invited Fiji to send its security personnel to be trained there,” said Tkatchenko.
In noting the existing MOU on Security Cooperation of 2018, both Ministers expressed the need for both countries to review that MOU, the evolving security dynamics and to consider entering into a SOFA arrangement and agreed for concerned parties to commence discussions on this going forward.
