11 Feb 2014

Pacific Islands ministerial group expected to visit Fiji this week

2:55 pm on 11 February 2014

The Pacific Islands Forum Ministerial Contact Group is to visit Fiji this week, ahead of the general elections promised for September.

The group is expected to arrive on Friday for a two-day visit.

No other details are available.

Fiji was suspended from the Forum in 2009 after the regime, led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama, reneged on a 2007 promise to return the country to democracy.

The Forum group last visited Fiji last April, when it told the Fiji government that the international community had clear expectations about the lead-up to the general elections.

The group emphasised the need for citizens and political parties to be able to nominate for elections, campaign openly and to participate without hindrance in the political process and public debate.