1. WAINIGADRU VILLAGERS PRAISE ARMY REHAB WORK – Saqani district officer Kalivati Rabuka says the cyclone rehabilitation works by army engineers at Wainigadru Village in the district of Tawake in Cakaudrove province is progressing well.
2. BRAZIL TO OPEN NEW EMBASSY IN FIJI – The Federative Republic of Brazil will be opening its new embassy in Fiji early next year.
3. BID TO STRENGTHEN FIJI AND BRAZIL TIES – In a bid to strengthen diplomatic ties between Fiji and theFederative Republic of Brazil, the Brazilian Under Secretary General of Political Affairs, Ambassador Maria Reis paid a courtesy call last week to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation permanent secretary Amena Yauvoli to discuss bilateral issues.
1.WAINIGADRU VILLAGERS PRAISE ARMY REHAB WORK
Saqani district officer Kalivati Rabuka says the cyclone rehabilitation works by army engineers at Wainigadru Village in the district of Tawake in Cakaudrove province is progressing well.
“Out of the five brand new homes that is schedule to be built in the village, two homes have been completed, which were opened by the Prime Minister on Tuesday,” Mr Rabuka said.
The DO Saqani said the house plan used was taken from the standard rural housing plan supplied by the Commissioner Northern’s office.
“The approximate cost for a single two-bedroom pine timber home is $13,000,” Mr Rabuka said.
“Other villages in the district of Tawake that have already completed housing rehab construction included Yasawa, Nagasauva, Wainiika and Vatu villages.”
Wainigadru Village Turaga ni Koro (village headman) Bonapasio Driti said the people of Wainigadru were overwhelmed with the excellent construction work carried out by the army engineers in the village.
“Every morning and afternoon the ladies in our village served morning and afternoon tea to the army officers, we treat them like our own and even helped them on occasions with their food supply stock,” Mr Driti said.
“On behalf of the people of Wainigadru I must commend the Prime Minister and the army engineers for assisting us with the five houses as part of the cyclone rehab program.”
More than 30 soldiers from the army engineering section are carrying out housing rehab work in Wainigadru Village in the province of Cakaudrove.
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2.BRAZIL TO OPEN NEW EMBASSY IN FIJI
The Federative Republic of Brazil will be opening its new embassy in Fiji early next year.
This was confirmed by the Brazilian Under Secretary General of Political Affairs, Ministry of External Trade, Ambassador Maria Reis while paying a courtesy call to for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, permanent secretary Amena Yauvoli last week.
Mr Yauvoli said the new initiative would deepen political, economic and developmental cooperation between the two countries considering that Brazil was one of the strong members of developing countries of the Group of 77 and China.
“Its economic prowess, its technological advancement and its membership of BRICS, are a testimony of its standing as a leading world power,” Mr Yauvoli said.
“Brazil is also well regarded by developing countries including Fiji as a leader in addressing the ‘South’ issues in the international arena including the multilateral trading system of the WTO.”
Mr Yauvoli said with the plan of opening the new embassy, Fiji looked forward to co-operating with Brazil in pertinent international foras to ensure developing country concerns in areas such as trade, climate change, security, the environment and sustainable development were addressed in a tangible fashion.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Reis said an ambassador had already been appointed and now awaited His Excellency the President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau’s endorsement.
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3.BID TO STRENGTHEN FIJI AND BRAZIL TIES
In a bid to strengthen diplomatic ties between Fiji and the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Brazilian Under Secretary General of Political Affairs, Ambassador Maria Reis paid a courtesy call last week to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation permanent secretary Amena Yauvoli to discuss bilateral issues.
Mr Yauvoli said the visit by Ambassador Reis was a timely one as Fiji embarked in deepening and strengthening its relations with Brazil since the establishment of Fiji’s Embassy in Brazil in September 2011.
Ambassador Reis and Mr Yauvoli discussed possible co-operation areas that Brazil could pursue with Fiji such asagriculture, fisheries, health, livestock, education, defense, biofuels, sugarcane and tourism.
Ambassador Reis told Mr Yauvoli there were other possible areas of assistance through South-South co-operation using trilateral arrangements with UNDP and other developing countries in the South including India, South Africa and Brazil.
Trade relation was also part of the meeting’s agenda.
Ambassador Reis said there was a need to stimulate trade between two countries, particularly for Fiji towards Brazil, given the potential market of 200 million people in Brazil that Fiji can exploit.
Meanwhile, Fiji’s Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil, Cama Tuiloma is in the country this week to conduct consultations with some sectors of government such as agriculture, sugar, energy, fisheries and forests, tourism, trade, education, health, women and transport amongst others and to establish activities or programs that Brazil can assist Fiji with under its bilateral co-operation program.
Ambassador Tuiloma said there had been a slow progress on the negotiations of bilateral agreements between Fiji and Brazil and he was here to follow up on these agreements.
“A technical mission organised by the Brazilian Agency for Co-operation is due in the country later in the year to identify and assess Fiji’s needs in areas of agriculture and fisheries,” Ambassador Tuiloma said.
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