3 takeaways of Bainimarama’s visit to New Zealand
Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama was on a three-day state visit to New Zealand, from October 19 – 22. This was a reciprocal visit on the invitation of New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, who has earlier visited the island nation in June this year to break the ice in the fraught diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The fact that Bainimarama chose to accept the invitation and eventually made the visit, despite the diplomatic flare witnessed during Prime Minister John Key’s earlier visit is an important step forward in the bilateral relations.
Bainimarama himself said “let bygone be bygone,” immediately after the bilateral talks with the Prime Minister John Key in Auckland.
Earlier he was officially received in a state ceremony at the governor house Auckland where a traditional powhiri and military guard of honour were performed in the honour of the visiting leader.
Speaking immediately after the bilateral talks at governor house Auckland, Bainimarama said that he acknowledges Prime Minister John Key's initiative to take this bilateral relationship to next level and is willing to work together with the New Zealand government to enhance people to people and trade relations between the two countries.
The fact that Bainimarama chose to desist from any ‘emotional outbursts’ for which he has become quite (in)famous in this part of the world even when provoked with few unsolicited questions from New Zealand media immediately after the official reception at Auckland is the second important takeaway of this visit.
There was a clear potential for another diplomatic flare up when Bainimarama was probed by the New Zealand media about the recent police action against the Fiji’s opposition party and the alleged deteriorating human rights condition in the country.
In the end, good sense prevailed and nothing untoward happened reminiscent of John Key’s earlier visit to Fiji.
In fact, Prime Minister Bainimarama himself personally invited TV One's journalist Barbara Dreaver who was earlier banned from entering Fiji.
He told her personally, she was "OK to come back home".
The third and probably the most important takeaway of this recent visit was the sense of elation within the Fijian community living in New Zealand about the visit.
Prime Minister John Key has repeatedly said that the relations between two countries are far deeper at people to people level and not necessarily affected by relationship at a political level between the two governments.
The Fiji-Indian community settled in New Zealand, which have high hopes and optimism from Bainimarama to end the ethnic divide back home were also elated with his first ever state visit to New Zealand.
Harish Lodhia, the Honorary Consul of Fiji in Auckland expressed community’s excitement about the visit.
He said that “All Fijians are excited about Bainimarama’s visit and improving relations between the two countries.”
“This is good for people to people and mutual trade relations between the two pacific neighbours,” he further said.
Thus it can be safely asserted that Fiji is opening up slowly, and Prime Minister John Key can take a pat on his back for enunciating the opening up process.
However, concerns are still there about media's freedom and Bainimarama's willingness to cooperate with the wider international community.
Yet signs of progress are there.
Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama was on a three-day state visit to New Zealand, from October 19 – 22. This was a reciprocal visit on the invitation of New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, who has earlier visited the island nation in June this year to break the ice in the fraught diplomatic...
Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama was on a three-day state visit to New Zealand, from October 19 – 22. This was a reciprocal visit on the invitation of New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, who has earlier visited the island nation in June this year to break the ice in the fraught diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The fact that Bainimarama chose to accept the invitation and eventually made the visit, despite the diplomatic flare witnessed during Prime Minister John Key’s earlier visit is an important step forward in the bilateral relations.
Bainimarama himself said “let bygone be bygone,” immediately after the bilateral talks with the Prime Minister John Key in Auckland.
Earlier he was officially received in a state ceremony at the governor house Auckland where a traditional powhiri and military guard of honour were performed in the honour of the visiting leader.
Speaking immediately after the bilateral talks at governor house Auckland, Bainimarama said that he acknowledges Prime Minister John Key's initiative to take this bilateral relationship to next level and is willing to work together with the New Zealand government to enhance people to people and trade relations between the two countries.
The fact that Bainimarama chose to desist from any ‘emotional outbursts’ for which he has become quite (in)famous in this part of the world even when provoked with few unsolicited questions from New Zealand media immediately after the official reception at Auckland is the second important takeaway of this visit.
There was a clear potential for another diplomatic flare up when Bainimarama was probed by the New Zealand media about the recent police action against the Fiji’s opposition party and the alleged deteriorating human rights condition in the country.
In the end, good sense prevailed and nothing untoward happened reminiscent of John Key’s earlier visit to Fiji.
In fact, Prime Minister Bainimarama himself personally invited TV One's journalist Barbara Dreaver who was earlier banned from entering Fiji.
He told her personally, she was "OK to come back home".
The third and probably the most important takeaway of this recent visit was the sense of elation within the Fijian community living in New Zealand about the visit.
Prime Minister John Key has repeatedly said that the relations between two countries are far deeper at people to people level and not necessarily affected by relationship at a political level between the two governments.
The Fiji-Indian community settled in New Zealand, which have high hopes and optimism from Bainimarama to end the ethnic divide back home were also elated with his first ever state visit to New Zealand.
Harish Lodhia, the Honorary Consul of Fiji in Auckland expressed community’s excitement about the visit.
He said that “All Fijians are excited about Bainimarama’s visit and improving relations between the two countries.”
“This is good for people to people and mutual trade relations between the two pacific neighbours,” he further said.
Thus it can be safely asserted that Fiji is opening up slowly, and Prime Minister John Key can take a pat on his back for enunciating the opening up process.
However, concerns are still there about media's freedom and Bainimarama's willingness to cooperate with the wider international community.
Yet signs of progress are there.
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