A TEAM from the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States and European Union (ACP-EU) Joint parliamentary assembly will be in Fiji this week on a fact-finding mission.
The objective of the 10-member team will be to take stock of the political situation in the country and gauge Fiji's progress towards a democratic parliamentary assembly.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation Ratu Inoke Kubuabola welcomed the visit of the team, saying it was critical for such missions to visit Fiji to see progress the government has made towards the 2014 elections.
Mr Kubuabola said the team would also see the processes and milestones that had been achieved by the government in pursuing a modern democratic parliamentary institution.
During its visit to Fiji the team will meet a few international and regional organisations residing in Fiji, civil society organisations and government ministries.
The mission is also expected to meet with the ACP Heads of Mission residing in Suva and other heads of mission, including the EU delegation.
Ane Zuloaga of the Political, Trade and Media Section Delegation of the European Union to the Pacific said the visit was decided after a meeting of the Bureau of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in May.
"The objective of the fact-finding mission is to take stock of the political situation in Fiji where the recently launched constitutional consultation process could foster the process of democratisation which is up until now still facing huge challenges," she said.
The team will be led by Michele Rivasi of the EU Parliament and the ACP Parliamentary Assembly president Musikari Kombo.