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President of the State of Israel to hold first ever Pacific Island Leaders Summit in Fiji this Week

Date: 
Tuesday, 18 February 2020

On Thursday, 20 February, Fiji will welcome the President of the State of Israel, His Excellency Reuven Rivlin, to participate in the history-making Pacific Islands Leaders' Summit Meeting –– the first ever to be held with the State of Israel –– before departing for Australia the following day. While in Fiji, President Rivlin will also hold a bilateral meeting with the Hon Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama.

Fiji and Israel began their diplomatic relations in 1970, and the first Israeli President to visit Fiji was His Excellency Chaim Herzog in November 1986.

In the decades since, cooperation between Fiji and Israel has deepened, particularly in the areas of defense and security, agriculture, health, education, climate change, and disaster rehabilitation.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security, Inia Seruiratu, says the visit by President Rivlin will further strengthen diplomatic relations between Fiji and Israel.

“From our peacekeeping efforts to exchanging expertise on agriculture and technology, there has long been a special relationship between Israel and Fiji,” said Seruiratu. “There’s much to be gained from channeling the power of multilateralism –– so I look forward to welcoming President Rivlin another historic visit to Fiji, and to building on the progress that our two nations have achieved by working together in recent years.”

Other high-profile guests expected for the first quarter of the year include the visit by the New Zealand Prime Minister, Honourable Jacinda Ardern and the United Nations General Assembly President, His Excellency Tijjani Muhammad-Bande.