EU - ACP states commend Fijian Government for Cyclone Winston efforts

The European Union has commended the Fijian Government for successfully spearheading recovery and rehabilitation works in Fiji following the devastation caused by Cyclone Winston.

As Ministers from the African Caribbean and Pacific group of states met last week in Senegal with senior EU officials, the devastation and recovery works was highlighted by members.

In her address to the Joint ACP-EU Council, the  EU Co-President Lilianne Ploumen expressed the EU's sympathies to the Fijian delegation present at this week's meeting.

Ploumen who is also Netherlands' Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation highlighted that despite the ordeal that Fiji faced, it was encouraging to see that recovery efforts has been collective and well-coordinated.

Similar sentiments were also expressed at the meeting by senior government officials including Mauritius' Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security and Chair of ACP Ministerial Committee on Sugar, Mahen Kumar Seeruttun.

Seeruttun said Mauritius stood with Fiji during this difficult time and will be channelling financial donations to the appeal funds established by the Fijian government.

Fiji's Ambassador to the EU Deo Saran attended last week's meeting and conveyed Fiji’s gratitude to the EU ACP states for their assistance and solidarity.

He said that this, together with the invaluable support of Fiji's bilateral and multilateral development partners, the Pacific neighbors and the ACP family will indeed go a long way in the intense recovery and rehabilitation work currently underway.

The ACP-EU Joint Council ended this week......PACNEWS