Your Excellencies,

Mr Tobias Billström, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden and President of the Council of the European Union,

Mr Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative & Vice President of the European Commission,

Honorable Ministers,

Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen,

Bula and warm greetings from the vast blue Pacific.

It is an honour to address you as we renew and strengthen the partnership between the European Union and the Indo-Pacific countries. I extend sincere gratitude, on behalf of my Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs who regrettably could not be here today, for the invitation to this important gathering.

We value our relationship with the European Union because it is based on mutual respect, shared values and common interests. Fiji appreciates the EU’s increased engagement with the Indo-Pacific region, as reflected in its Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and its Global Gateway initiative. For my part of the world, Pacific Leaders made a historic decision last year to adopt a 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.

That strategy reflects the collective vision, values and aspirations of Pacific island countries, and outlines the key thematic areas and strategic pathways to achieve them. It is not only a blueprint for the future, but also a call to action for all development partners to align their cooperation with our countries. We therefore anticipate a more coherent engagement as a region with the EU and other partners through the Blue Pacific 2050 Strategy.

For small island states, part of the challenge of being in the Indo-Pacific space is ensuring that our own geostrategic interests are given priority, as much as our larger neighbours, particularly in Asia. We trust this is taken into account as the Pacific region faces urgent challenges that require collective and decisive action. It is that awareness that compelled the Pacific countries’ engagement with our Indo-Pacific ally, Japan, in deferring the planned discharge of waste water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station into the Pacific Ocean. It is also the driving force behind our collective advocacy on the existential threat of climate change.

Imagine losing your home, your land and your culture to the rising sea. This is the nightmare that many island nations face, Pacific countries like Kiribati and Tuvalu, with no escape from the relentless sea level rise. They have to choose between uprooting their people or building artificial islands. Neither option secures their future, as their maritime rights and resources are also in danger.

It is the harsh reality that many coastal communities in Fiji are facing as climate change threatens their very existence. We have no choice but to relocate our people from the rising sea. This is a daunting and complex task, one of last resort. It is a painful and costly process that needs careful planning, consultation and coordination. Six communities in Fiji have already been relocated, and 42 more are in urgent need of moving in the next decade. We cannot afford this on our own. We need financial support from our development partners to face this huge challenge. We need support that honours our sovereignty, our dignity and our human rights. We need support that acknowledges that relocation is not a solution, but a response to the loss and damage caused by climate change. And we appeal to the EU and other development partners to stand with us and our people who are facing displacement and uncertainty.

Fiji welcomes the EU’s Indo-Pacific Strategy as an opportunity to strengthen our cooperation on the critical issues of climate change, security and sustainable and inclusive prosperity. These are issues that matter greatly to Fiji and the Pacific region. We are committed to promoting security, stability, democracy and cooperation in our region. We are also keen to explore the possibilities of growing the blue economy, making renewable energy and innovation the drivers of growth.

The EU’s support for free and green trade, sustainable supply chains and digitalization can help to boost economic growth and reduce poverty in our region. We are confident the EU’s role in our economic policies will be one of partnership, in areas such as taxes, investment and free movement of people, goods and services.

In this regard, we urge the EU to revise its tax blacklisting approach to the smaller countries in our region, and to show solidarity and understanding in these challenging times. We also encourage the EU to finalise its process for signing the post-Cotonou Agreement, which will shape your partnership for the next 20 years with those of us in the Organisation for African, Caribbean and Pacific States. We of course support the EU and the global efforts to resolve the current war in Ukraine, where Ukrainians are suffering the most, but all of us are feeling the wider impacts.

In closing, we believe that our partnership is on the right track, guided by a long-term perspective. The challenges and opportunities in our region are complex and require sustained engagement over many years.

We look forward to working closely with the EU in the years ahead and to building a brighter and more prosperous future for our peoples.

Vinaka vakalevu and Thank you.