New Zealand Parliament hosts Fijian parliamentarians

The New Zealand Parliament this week plays host to a delegation from the Parliament of Fiji. The delegation is the first from the Fijian Parliament to travel outside of Fiji since their recent elections, and the visit marks a resumption of official engagement between the two Parliaments.

The delegation will be led by the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Ruveni Nadalo, and includes the Whips from both the Government and the Opposition parties, as well as the Secretary General of the Parliament of Fiji, Viniana Namosimalua.

The visit to New Zealand is being facilitated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Since January 2014, UNDP has been working to provide support to the Parliament of Fiji through a project funded by the European Union and the Governments of New Zealand, Australia and Japan.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon David Carter, said that the visit is an excellent first step in restoring the relationship, and shows New Zealand is committed to supporting parliamentary democracy in Fiji and the wider Pacific.

“The New Zealand Parliament is pleased to welcome the Deputy Speaker and his delegation for this important visit. After a protracted period without a parliament, Fiji can expect our full support and assistance to make its return to parliamentary democracy a smooth and successful one. I have no doubt that this week will be of great benefit to both Parliaments, and will see relationships renewed and re-invigorated.

I would also like to thank UNDP for making this visit possible, and for the good work that it does in the Pacific supporting democracy and good governance. This work in turn supports New Zealand’s efforts in the region, and collaborations such as this current initiative are a good example of how we can pool resources to make an impact”.

The visit will take place from 28 to 30 October.

ENDS

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