A meeting between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Permanent Representative of France to the Pacific Community and the Pacific Regional Environment Program, Ambassador Marine de Carné de Trécesson has yielded a possible opportunity for Fijian civil service workers to study in France.
This was among the items on the agenda of the Ambassador’s official visit to Fiji after a gap of three years because of COVID-19. Having recently attended the Pacific Community (SPC) meeting in Vanuatu alongside the French Secretary of State, the ambassador was quite keen to make a visit to Fiji to strengthen ties and push forward climate change initiatives.
“We had the opportunity to meet with all the Pacific Island representatives, but I wanted also to come and have a visit here in Fiji. Of course France is very interested in the Pacific. We are part of the Pacific. We have three territories, as you know, and that’s more than 600,000 French people living in the Pacific,” said the ambassador.
The ambassador also spoke of France’s intention to include more of Fiji’s NGOs and public and private sector representatives in the One Planet Summit going forward as a means to support Fijian businesses that suffer the brunt of the effects of the climate crisis.
“Of course, we are very willing to have peace and prosperity with the Pacific. We know that you have a lot of challenges that we share with you; we are at the forefront of the climate change fight with you. We are really keen to support the Pacific voice.”
