PARTNERSHIP agreements between Fiji and Australia are expected to strengthen regional security, stability and economic prosperity, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong says.
Ms Wong made the remarks yesterday when asked how Australian citizens would benefit from the growing co-operation between the two countries, highlighting the importance of a stable and secure Pacific region.
“We live in contested times, Australians understand and can see the challenges that our external environment places upon us,” Ms Wong said.
“And so what the (Australian) government has been very focused on is ensuring that we work to assure Australia’s interests and security in these times.”
She said Australia viewed its regional relationships as central to its security, stability and prosperity.
“And the first of those is the region, and it is the first for a very important reason, which is our security, stability, prosperity, is grounded and located in our region.”
Ms Wong said Australia had continued to build closer agreements within the Pacific and Southeast Asia.
“Fiji is a leader in the Pacific region. So it is only natural that we would want to deepen our relationship with Fiji.”
When asked whether the treaty with Fiji was partly aimed at countering China’s alleged influence in the Pacific, Ms Wong said simply both countries were sovereign nations.
Vuvale Union locks in alliance
THE Vuvale Union, a new bilateral framework designed to deepen security, economic and peopletopeople ties between Fiji and Australia, has been formally established, marking a significant step-up in relations between the two countries.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong jointly announced the agreement during a press conference in Suva yesterday.
“I want to be clear that Fiji stands with the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ decisions and the processes
the region has in place to manage the issues confronting us today,” Mr Rabuka said.
He said Fiji had expressed its support for the Bilateral Declaration as the framework to coordinate the
response to the current fuel crisis.
He said the Vuvale Union was designed to deliver long-term outcomes across security, economic cooperation and peopleto-people connections.
Mr Rabuka said the Union also gave practical effect to the Ocean of Peace vision by embedding sovereignty, respect and Pacific-led solutions into a cooperative framework.
Ms Wong said the Union was championed by Mr Rabuka in Australia and had developed into a bilateral treaty.
The initiative builds on the existing Vuvale Partnership.
