Indonesia, Fiji Strengthen Partnership in Defense, Education

President Prabowo Subianto and Prime Minister of Fiji Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka deliver a joint press statement at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, on Thursday (04/24). (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat)

President Prabowo Subianto and Prime Minister of Fiji Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka have agreed to promote bilateral cooperation in multiple strategic sectors.

The President made the statement in a joint press statement with PM Rabuka at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Thursday (04/24).

“We have many shared interests, encounter similar challenges, and uphold principles of mutual respect between nations,” President Prabowo said, underscoring similarities between the two archipelagic states in the Pacific.

President Prabowo also reaffirmed that all previously agreed commitments and agreements will continue, and their implementation will be expedited under his administration, including the strengthening of cooperation in the defense sector.

“As for cooperation in politics, we seek to optimize the defense cooperation agreement that we made a while ago,” he said, adding that Indonesia is committed to supporting the development of the Regional Agricultural Training Center in Fiji scheduled to kick off this year.

“We also invite Fiji to send its youth to study in our educational facilities here in Indonesia, focusing on vocational, engineering, agricultural, and other fields at our schools and institutions. We also welcome joint military training for the army, navy, and air force,” he said.

President Prabowo Subianto also asserted Indonesia’s commitment to strengthening relations between peoples of the two countries through human capital capacity improvement, including providing additional partnership scholarships for the youth of Fiji.

“On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, I would like to express our appreciation for Fiji’s leadership in the South Pacific and Fiji’s support for Indonesia’s participation in various forums,” he said, while expressing hope that the friendship and cooperation between Indonesia and Fiji will continue to floursih in the future.

“Let us continue to foster this relation. Indonesia reasserts, once again, our desire to enhance and strengthen this relation, making it more effective in the future,” he remarked.  (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (DH/EP)