On her first bilateral visit to the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji, Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Senator Penny Wong said the Australian Government would offer quality, climate resilient infrastructure.
“We will increase Australia’s overseas development assistance to the pacific by $525 million over the next four years, working with you to recover from the pandemic.”
“I know that Pacific women have a key role to play in your recovery, and in your economic development,” added Wong.
“Societies work better, economies work better, communities work better, when we remove barriers to participation of women and girls, when all have an equal place in national life.
“As the countries of the Pacific continue to chart a course to recovery from the challenges of COVID, we know that women and girls – their status, their participation, their education, their safety – will be a vital part of that recovery.
“We will always seek to work in partnership with our Pacific family,” emphasized Wong.
The Foreign Minister said, “Part of that partnership will be reflecting Australia’s full identity to our family.”
Wong highlighted that there are at least 270 ancestries represented in Australia.
“As Foreign Minister, I will tell Australia’s full story, our modern diversity and the rich heritage of First Nations peoples.”