THE United States has pledged $US500,000 ($F1.3million) in assistance to the Republic of Fiji Navy to strengthen maritime security and disaster response capabilities.
The funding will support the acquisition of secure and reliable communications technology aimed at improving the Navy’s ability to respond to maritime threats and natural disasters.
The announcement was made by US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who said Washington intended to assist Pacific partners in countering drug trafficking, illegal fishing and transnational crime.
“By supporting Fiji’s ability to protect its sovereignty and natural resources, we are advancing the vision of a free and open Pacific, a strategy that benefits not only Fiji but the entire region,” Mr Landau said.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, who held a bilateral meeting with Mr Landau and the US delegation yesterday, said combating transnational crimes featured prominently in discussions.
He said issues relating to illegal fishing and other cross-border criminal activities were raised, along with potential economic cooperation under the US Millennium Challenge framework.
“They gave us the opportunity to be part of that, and one of the officials is here, to work with the Ministry of Finance, working on what do we have, what programs do we have, to make use of the climate,” Mr Rabuka said.
“To enhance our ability to export more, and do more for our own economy, increase employment, and improve the employability of our people.
“That’s what the Minister for Finance (Esrom Immanuel) has been working on.”
Mr Rabuka also confirmed that recent US immigration measures, including concerns about immigrant visa bonds, were not part of the Millennium Challenge discussions.
However, he acknowledged that immigration matters remained an issue Fiji wished to raise with US authorities.
“It all depends on how we feature in the assessment of our nationals’ behaviour and respect for their sovereignty.
“We have to be treated equally with others, although we enjoy a long history of very good relationships.”
Before, financial support from the US mainly came through United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Now that has shifted to the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a different US agency that will provide large-scale funding to countries that meet certain governance and economic standards.
