Fiji Prime Minister and Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, Sitiveni Rabuka is preparing to welcome Pacific leaders to Fiji this week for the Pacific Islands Forum Special Leaders Retreat.
Continuing the theme of “Reflection, Renewal, Celebration”, the Special Leaders Retreat will be held on the 23rd and 24th February In Denarau, Nadi.
The Retreat will focus on Forum solidarity.
“It has been an honour and a privilege for the Government of Fiji to have carried the role of Forum Chair,” said Prime Minister Rabuka. He said he is pleased that Fiji is able to contribute to ensuring the ongoing solidarity of the Forum Family and he looked forward to welcoming Forum Leaders to Nadi.
The meeting will also see the transition of the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum from Fiji to the Cook Islands. Mark Brown, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands will look to host the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Ahead of the Leaders Retreat, there will be a meeting of the Forum Officials Committee on 22 February 2023.
“This is an opportune moment to convene as a Forum Family to celebrate Pacific regionalism under the vision of our 2050 Strategy. This Special Leaders meeting demonstrates Leaders’ dedicated commitment to building PIF solidarity and unity,” said Henry Puna, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum.
The Meeting will also consider and finalise the operationalisation of the Suva Agreement that was endorsed by Forum Leaders at their meeting in Suva, Fiji in July, 2022.
Source: PIF Secretariat
