FIJI has initiated the process of deepening its commitment to engage with every United Nation member state by establishing bilateral relations, co-operation and assistance with the government of Argentina.
Fiji's ambassador to Brazil, Cama Tuiloma, recently returned from a successful trip to South America's second-largest economy and expressed optimism as Fiji and Argentina begin substantive bilateral relations.
"This approach is seen as a catalyst for formalising a deeper and mutually beneficial program of bilateral co-operation, given our shared positions in multilateral fora, on climate change, UN reform and peacekeeping, trade liberalisation and South-South Co-operation," a press statement stated.
Mr Tuiloma, after presenting his credentials to the Argentine Foreign Ministry, presented a draft memorandum of understanding on Political Consultations between the governments of Argentina and Fiji which would be finalised later this year.
"There is an agreement, particularly in exchange of information, training, sharing of experiences and technology transfer and in the offer by a number of agencies to provide draft MOUs for consideration by our Fiji counterparts in the identification of areas of interests, co-operation and assistance," the statement said.
"Discussions also focused on the possibility of a Technical Fact-Finding Mission to Fiji by experts from a number of Argentinean sectors."
Argentina is considered an emerging market by the FTSE Global Equity Index, and is one of the G-20 major economies.
With a population of more than 40million, the economy of Argentina is Latin America's third-largest with a GDP growth of 8 per cent (2011), foreign reserves of $US46.5billion ($F82.8billion) (2011), with a high quality of life being an upper middle-income economy with a GDP per capita of $US10,945 ($F19,625) (nominal).