Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is urging the rejection of military escalation in the Pacific region.

He said this today at the launch of the United Nations Peace Building Program for Fiji.

Rabuka called for global solidarity and stresses the importance of peace, social cohesion, and inclusive government structures to address challenges.

Reflecting on the scars left by past conflicts including the two World Wars and nuclear testing in the Pacific, Rabuka highlights the importance of learning from history and preventing such tragedies from recurring.

He urged for global solidarity in addressing existential threats and ensuring lasting peace for all.

[Source: Fiji Government/Facebook]

Despite the Pacific’s marginalized status on the global stage, Rabuka drew attention to its unique challenges such as political instability, climate change, economic vulnerabilities, and geopolitical rivalries.

He reiterated the urgent need for cohesive and inclusive governance structures prioritizing people’s welfare.

“We in Fiji do not see military buildup as the answer for the blue Pacific region the two world wars of the first half of the last century and nuclear testing in our region have left scars that remain in our collective memory as Dark episodes in Fiji in the Pacific history, never to be repeated.”

[Source: Fiji Government/Facebook]

Rabuka reiterates the establishment of a zone of peace in the Pacific region which aims to promote harmony globally.

He stressed the imperative of collective action in addressing pressing issues and fostering a peaceful environment for future generations.

The Government Leader is pleading for peaceful solutions amid a concerning trend of increasing global military spending since 2015.

Rabuka adds that global military spending continues to rise annually since 2015 but adds the importance of diplomacy, cooperation and inclusive governance in achieving lasting peace in the Pacific and around the world.