**Sa’ar to inaugurate Israel’s new embassy in Fiji**
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar will arrive in Fiji on Monday and is scheduled to inaugurate Israel’s new embassy in the country on Tuesday morning (Israel time).
The move comes several months after Fiji opened its embassy in Jerusalem in September, further strengthening ties between the two countries.
According to the Foreign Ministry, Fiji has consistently supported Israel in international forums, including at the UN, and intervened in support of Israel during proceedings at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
The ministry said the new embassy will serve not only Fiji but also nine additional countries in the Pacific region, expanding Israel’s diplomatic presence among Pacific Island nations. Fiji is considered a regional leader in the Pacific, and the embassy in the capital city of Suva will function as a regional diplomatic hub.
Officials said the embassy is expected to deepen cooperation between Israel and Pacific nations in a variety of fields, including development, economic relations, and security.
The embassy in Fiji will be the fourth new Israeli embassy inaugurated by Sa’ar in less than a year and a half, following the opening of diplomatic missions in Moldova, Zambia, and Estonia.
During his visit, Sa’ar is expected to meet with Fiji’s senior leadership, including President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, Foreign Minister Sakiasi Ditoka, and other government officials.
He is also scheduled to meet Lionel Rouwen Aingimea, Vice President and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Justice of Nauru.
“By opening Israel’s embassy in Fiji, we are continuing to expand Israel’s diplomatic activity around the world in general, and in the Pacific region in particular, and sending a message of strengthening the partnerships and relations with countries that are friendly toward Israel," Sa’ar said.