The Fiji Times

PM Rabuka calls for peace advancemen­t

- By MEREANI GONEDUA

PRIME Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has emphasised that more financing and investment are needed in order to advance peace rather than war. Speaking at the Internatio­nal Monetary Fund (IMF) Pacific High-Level conference in Nadi recently, PM Rabuka highlighte­d that while Fiji seeks prosperity, it must go hand-in-hand with peace.

With the theme of the conference as ‘Peace for a new way of living’, Fiji’s Head of Government stated that it was not possible to attain national progress and fulfilment amid the depredatio­ns of war, and the simmering possibilit­y of it.

“What all of us now require - and I mean all of us - is a deluge of peace, a torrent of it, as an antidote to war.

“The people of the world can make this happen.”

“The very word peace is filled with power and meaning that inspires and lifts. Peace leads to communitie­s of compassion, care and charity. It nurtures prosperity - the theme of this conference.”

He called on world leaders to unite around the concept of proclaimin­g the Blue Pacific as the Ocean of Peace as they would be custodians of a powerful symbol of coexistenc­e and friendship.

“The peace we seek cannot just be a name and an image. Each of our countries would be called upon to live by values reflecting peace as one of the highest virtues.

“This would require our leaders to work with the people to ensure that peace is central to national life.”

PM Rabuka also commended the IMF for assisting nations that experience severe financial difficulti­es with funding to return to stability and progress.

 ?? Photo: DIPESH KUMAR ?? Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, spoke at the Internatio­nal Monetary Fund’s Pacific High-Level Conference in Nadi.
Photo: DIPESH KUMAR Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, spoke at the Internatio­nal Monetary Fund’s Pacific High-Level Conference in Nadi.

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