- FIJIAN PRIME MINISTER OPENS NEW DIPLOMATIC MISSION IN GENEVA – Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has opened Fiji’s newest diplomatic mission in Geneva, Switzerland.
- HEALTH MINISTER STRENGTHENS TIES WITH HEALTH FACILITIES IN INDIA – The Health Minister Dr Neil Sharma recently visited two hospitals in India to identify ways of improving healthcare delivery in Fiji.
- FOREIGN NATIONS REGISTER PARTICIPATION FOR PIDF MEET – In the build-up to the 2nd Pacific Islands Development Forum, various nations continue to register their attendance to the meeting.
- 7th DIPLOMATIC INDUCTION COURSE BEGINS – The 7th Diplomatic Induction Course will be opened tomorrow June 4th at the Parliamentary Complex in Suva by Dr Akanisi Kedrayate.
FIJIAN PRIME MINISTER OPENS NEW DIPLOMATIC MISSION IN GENEVA
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has opened Fiji’s newest diplomatic mission in Geneva, Switzerland.
Designed to strengthen Fiji’s presence on the European continent, the establishment of this mission will also position Fiji to advance its interests at the United Nations through its Geneva offices.
Geneva is the main European base of the United Nations, housing 32 international organisations, many of them specialized agencies of the United Nations including the World Trade Organisation, World Health Organisation and the International Labour Organisation.
Prime Minister Bainimarama joined senior officials representing the Fijian government, the Swiss Government and the United Nations at the official opening ceremony.
Former High Court Judge Madam Nazhaat Shameem was recently commissioned as Fiji’s Permanent Representative to head the diplomatic mission.
Ambassador Shameem’s wide experience in the civil service, her extensive legal background and expertise makes her a suitable candidate for the type of work and advocacy required of Fiji’s representative in Geneva.
The establishment of the Geneva Mission will enable the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to carry out the multitude of work in international organisations in Geneva that are relevant to Fiji’s interest.
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HEALTH MINISTER STRENGTHENS TIES WITH HEALTH FACILITIES IN INDIA
The Health Minister Dr Neil Sharma recently visited two hospitals in India to identify ways of improving healthcare delivery in Fiji.
The Minister visited the Sahaydri Hospital in Pune to strengthen and enhance collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Sahyadri Hospital. He also took the opportunity to meet the seven Fiji health professionals currently training at the hospital.
Over the past two years, the Health Ministry has been able to secure medical specialist team visits from the Sahyadri Group of Hospital. This arrangement was implemented to control the costs associated with having to travel abroad for specialty treatment for our patients requiring overseas treatments and to fast track development of local expertise.
Since 2012, a total of 89 patients have received medical specialist treatment. This includes orthopedic, neurosurgery, open heart and artery bypass and arthroscopy surgery.
Dr Sharma also visited the Tata Institute of Cancer Research to discuss the opportunity of having Fiji doctors and nurses undergo training with their Institute in Mumbai.
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FOREIGN NATIONS REGISTER PARTICIPATION FOR PIDF MEET
In the build-up to the 2nd Pacific Islands Development Forum, various nations continue to register their attendance to the meeting.
The PIDF secretariat has received confirmations that Morocco, Venezuela and Israel will join Singapore, Kazakhstan, Kuwait and Georgia to participate at the forum.
Scheduled to take place at the Sheraton Fiji Resort, Denarau Island, Nadi, Fiji from 18th to 20th June, this year, the 2nd PIDF meet will be opened by the President of the Republic of Indonesia His Excellency Mr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
The theme of this year’s summit will be, “Green Growth in the Pacific: Building Resilient Sustainable Futures and Genuine Partnerships”.
The annual Summit of PIDF provides a unique, distinctive and inclusive opportunity for the leaders and representatives of the public sector, private sector and civil society of the Pacific small island developing countries and territories to dialogue and take ownership of their problems, decisions and actions to address their special development need in their pursuit for inclusive and sustainable development.
This year’s Summit builds on the outcomes and the mandate of the Inaugural Summit last year to enable green growth in the Pacific and to consolidate genuine partnerships between governments, private sector and civil society in the pursuit of inclusive and sustainable development.
The Summit will provide the space for representatives of the public, private and civil society to dialogue, share and learn from each other of their experiences and perspectives on green growth as pursued at the national, regional and international level.
The inaugural Summit held last year attracted more than 300 Stakeholders from more than 40 countries, 14 of them from the Pacific.
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4 7th DIPLOMATIC INDUCTION COURSE BEGINS
The 7th Diplomatic Induction Course will be opened tomorrow June 4th at the Parliamentary Complex in Suva by Dr Akanisi Kedrayate.
The week long course is facilitated by the Public Service Commission in conjunction with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. His Excellency, Ambassador Isikeli Mataitoga the resource person and facilitator of the course said the training aims to build the capacity of the qualified officers to enhance Fiji’s participation and engagement in the bi-lateral and multi-lateral diplomacy and international affairs in the global arena.
At the end of 2013, 191 participants have taken part in the Diplomatic Induction Course which first began in 2006. The Course is also open to private sector applicants who have met the criteria as well as to regional officers from Pacific Island Countries namely Kiribati, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Republic of Marshalls Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia.
The Permanent Secretary for the Public Service Commission, Mr. Parmesh Chand, said that the Diplomatic Induction Course was necessary for selected Officers as it prepared them to be in a position to better represent Fiji’s best interests in economic, political or social arenas.
The seven day Course will conclude on Thursday, June 12th, 2014.
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