Parliaments and Parliamentarians Have the Powers to Address Polarisation – Speaker

Jakarta – July 25, 2024 – As the legislature, Parliaments and Parliamentarians have a fundamental role in fostering dialogue, taking legislative action and effective oversight to ensure social inclusion. Parliaments and Parliamentarians have the powers to address polarisation along political, socio-economic, gender, ethnic, cultural and religious lines.

This was the message by the Speaker of the Fijian Parliament the Hon. Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu whilst delivering Fiji’s National Statement on ‘Partnership for Prosperity: Fostering Regional Connectivity and Inclusive Development’ on the occasion of the Indonesia-Pacific Parliamentary Partnership (IPPP) that was held in Jakarta, Indonesia today, Thursday, 25 July 2024.

“Fiji and Indonesia established diplomatic relations in 1974 and since then, our two counties have progressively developed various sectors, including people-to-people exchanges, technical training, human resource development, defence and policing, agriculture, disaster management, forestry and fisheries.”

“Our enduring friendship through our two Governments and Parliaments continues to strengthen, fostering mutual understanding and shared achievements,” the Hon. Speaker said.

Hon. Ratu Naiqama elaborated on the concept of the “Ocean of Peace” in the region and in the international arena.

“The Ocean of Peace concept is designed to help move Pacific Island member nations to the next level of cohesiveness, prosperity, security and influence whilst enhancing and not reducing each state’s full sovereign rights.”

“It is anticipated that the Ocean of Peace concept, once accepted and embraced by all Pacific Island member states, would effectively create a 32 million square kilometers of the member states’ territorial waters as a major geo-political block which will enhance the Pacific position in the global scene.”

The Hon. Speaker also thanked the Government and the people of Indonesia in their various interventions and development assistance in various sectors in Fiji’s economy, in particular –

• the rehabilitation of our education sector post TC Winston at Queen Victoria School;
• various capacity-building in our Human Resource development under the South-South Cooperation Framework in agricultural, fisheries and trade;
• creating sustainable livelihoods in the coffee industry particularly for small farmers in the interior of Fiji; and
• the Dobuilevu Agricultural Research Station which is expected to amplify our fight against climate change and be a centre of excellence for building food security and climate resilience.

The first IPPP meeting was held in 2018 and laid a strong foundation for legislative cooperation and people-to-people engagement among the Parliaments of Pacific Island nations and Indonesia.

This year, the theme of ‘Partnership for Prosperity: Fostering Regional Connectivity and Inclusive Development’ is in line with cooperation for prosperity, especially regional connectivity in the Pacific, which includes how to open up more inclusive development in the future.

The Hon. Speaker is being accompanied by the Assistant Minister for Education the Hon. Iliesa Vanawalu, Hon. Naisa Tuinaceva, Secretary-General to Parliament Mrs Jeanette Emberson and the Manager Inter-Parliamentary Relations Mr Senitieli Wainiu.

-ENDS-