20 Feb 2020

Israel's president to meet Pacific leaders in Fiji stopover

12:31 pm on 20 February 2020

The president of Israel is to meet several Pacific Islands leaders today during a stopover in Fiji.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. Photo: AFP.

Reuven Rivlin, just the second Israeli president to visit Fiji, will be in the country for only 24 hours, en route to Australia.

Fiji's prime minister Frank Bainimarama is today hosting what his government website bills as a Pacific Islands Leaders' Summit.

President Rivlin is expected to attend the summit.

Also among those in attendance will be Papua New Guinea's prime minister James Marape and Samoa's Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.

Meanwhile, Fiji's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Inia Seruiratu, said the visit by President Rivlin would further strengthen relations the two countries.

He said cooperation between Fiji and Israel have deepened, "particularly in the areas of defense and security, agriculture, health, education, climate change, and disaster rehabilitation".