EAM Jaishankar meets Fiji Dy PM Biman Prasad, discusses Indo-Pacific

New Delhi [India], February 8 : External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Fiji Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad and discussed development cooperation and exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific.
Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar also said that he will meet Prasad for the second time next week at the 12th World Hindi Conference.
"A good meeting with Deputy Prime Minister @bimanprasad of @FijiGovernment today. Discussed #IndiaFiji historical people-to-people ties, our development cooperation, and collaboration at multilateral forums. Also exchanged views on Indo-Pacific," he said in a tweet.
Fiji's Deputy Prime Minister, who is on a five-day visit to India, attended the first India Energy Week (IEW) 2023. He also met Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri, on the sidelines of IEW.
Prasad congratulated Puri for successfully hosting the first-ever India Energy Week with a focus on decarbonization and transition to a clean energy economy.
Discussions focused on how India can support Fiji in its energy transition with the transfer of technology to improve energy efficiency, develop more renewable energy sources and build climate-smart infrastructure.
Puri also assured India's support towards the housing sector with a focus on smart low-cost construction technology and the potential involvement of the Indian private sector in any future Housing Public Private Partnership Projects in Fiji.
Notably, this is the first high-level visit from Fiji following the formation of the new government under Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka in December 2022.
Prasad also participated in a high-level Ministerial Session on "Strategies for a sustainable and decarbonized future." During the discussions, he highlighted the urgent need for global action on decarbonization if the world is to genuinely fight issues like climate change which is having devastating impacts on the lives and livelihoods of people in small developing island countries like Fiji.
He also called upon the developed world to support affordable technology transfer in assisting countries with smooth and economically feasible energy transition.
During his visit to India, Minister of State, Ministry of External Affairs, Rajkumar Ranjan Singh hosted a lunch in honour of Deputy Prime Minister Prasad.
India-Fiji relations are based on mutual respect, cooperation, and strong cultural and people-to-people ties.
The visit of Deputy Prime Minister Prasad comes a few days before the 12th World Hindi Conference which will be jointly hosted by India and Fiji in Nadi, Fiji, from 15-17 February 2023, according to the statement released by the Ministry fo External Affairs.
"The first high-level visit from Fiji since the change of government in December 2022 is expected to further strengthen and deepen the long-standing relationship between India and Fiji," as per the statement.