Bainimarama to hold bilateral meetings with a range of Commonwealth leaders

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama will be holding important bilateral meetings with a range of Commonwealth leaders including the British Prime Minister, Theresa May and prominent Commonwealth climate campaigners such as His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles.

This was highlighted by the President Jioji Konrote in his Commonwealth Day message.

53 nations, including Fiji will gather in London for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting next month.

Konrote says Bainimarama will assume leadership of a number of Commonwealth side events in which he will stress the importance of maximum ambition and maximum action to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees celsius above that of the pre‑industrial age.

He says that from Fiji's perspective, the most important challenge the world currently faces is climate change and many Commonwealth nations are highly vulnerable to its impacts, whether it is flood‑prone countries such as Bangladesh, those African nations battling drought and the encroaching desert and of course those of us in the Pacific.

The President says Fiji will continue to partner the important Talanoa Dialogue on climate ambition ‑ based on the Pacific concept of inclusive decision‑making devoid of finger pointing and is urging all Commonwealth countries to join this effort.

Konrote says the London meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is likely to be the last Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II presides over as she scales back her international travel and every Fijian joins the rest of the Commonwealth family in saluting her for her achievement and sending her our love.