Australia and Fiji share a strong and enduring bilateral relationship set out by the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership signed in October 2023, building on the previous partnership signed in 2019. It is a broad-ranging and comprehensive partnership supporting deeper people-to-people, economic and security links.
On 25 May 2022, in her first week as Foreign Minister, Senator the Hon. Penny Wong travelled to Fiji, demonstrating the importance we place on our relationship with Fiji and on our Pacific engagement. Since then, Minister Wong has visited Fiji again in September 2023, August 2024, May 2025, and August 2025. Minister Conroy visited in April/May 2024 and June 2025. Prime Minister Rabuka formally visited Australia in October 2023 (as Guest of Government) and July 2025.
Security partnerships
In line with the Boe Declaration on regional security, we are continuing to grow our defence and security cooperation. Co-deployments between the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) in our region have demonstrated the value of Pacific partners responding to regional crises.
We have worked together on major security infrastructure projects in Fiji, including the redevelopment of Blackrock Peacekeeping, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Camp. Blackrock Camp is a world-class facility enhancing interoperability and Fiji's ability to respond to humanitarian crises in the region.
Under the Pacific Maritime Security Program, Australia handed over two Guardian-class patrol boats to Fiji in March 2020 and 2024 to support maritime security in the Pacific region. We have supported Fiji to undertake a major upgrade of the RFNS Stanley Brown Wharf, to provide safe and secure berthing for these Guardian-class patrol boats. Australia’s partnership with Fiji was strengthened by the official opening of the Maritime Essential Services Centre (MESC), in Suva in October 2025. The MESC will enhance Fiji’s maritime security capabilities, and strengthen cooperation in the areas of maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping, and training.
People-to-people links
Australia and Fiji have extensive people-to-people links. Over 3,000 Australian companies do business in Fiji and close to 69,000 people born in Fiji live in Australia. Fiji is also one of the top destinations for Australians. Australians represent the largest cohort of visitor arrivals to Fiji (see Fiji Bureau of Statistics).
There are regular exchanges between Australia and Fiji, including through the Australia Awards, New Colombo Plan, Australian Volunteers Program, and the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme. There are now around 5,200 Fijian PALM scheme workers in Australia, enriching the culture and society of regional and rural communities across the country.
Australia is supporting Fiji, through the Pacific Australia Skills program, in developing skills for employment and preparing people for opportunities at home and across the region.
Australia and Fiji share a deep love of sport. Through our PacificAus Sports program, we have created opportunities for Fijian athletes, coaches, officials and administrators to access high performance training and elite competition across rugby union, netball, Australian Rules Football, rugby league, cricket, tennis, basketball and Olympic & Paralympic sports. Australia supports the Fijian Drua men’s team and women’s Fijian a team to compete in the Super Rugby Pacific and Super W competitions. We also invest in grassroots sport in Fiji as a tool to promote gender equality and social inclusion through our Team Up sport for development program.
Economic relationship
Australia is one of Fiji's largest trade and investment partners and we are assisting Fiji’s economic diversification into agriculture, manufacturing and technology through these initiatives. The Market Development Facility (MDF) began in Fiji in 2011. MDF stimulates business innovation and private sector investment for development outcomes, particularly poverty reduction and women's economic empowerment.
The Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) is implementing activities in Fiji to support Fiji’s private and public infrastructure needs.
Australia’s kava pilot commenced commercial importation of kava in December 2021. The kava importation arrangements under the pilot continues, in recognition of the deep cultural and economic significance of kava for Pacific Island communities both in Australia and across the Pacific region. As of December 2025, nearly 275 tonnes of kava have been exported from Fiji to Australia by over 200 suppliers.
Australia and Fiji’s Memorandum of Understanding on Ports Infrastructure and Services is supporting Fiji’s current and future maritime needs including revitalising Fiji’s shipbuilding and ship repair industry.
Development
Australia is Fiji’s largest bilateral development assistance donor.
Australia’s development program plays a critical role supporting health, education and skills, gender equality, disability inclusion and private sector recovery programs, as well as disaster relief in the wake of tropical cyclones, and direct budget support to bolster social protection schemes for the most vulnerable Fijians. Acknowledging Fiji’s regional and global leadership on climate change, Australia is supporting the Fiji Government to implement their Climate Change Act which legislates mitigation and adaptation action.
Australia always stands ready to support Fiji to respond to, and recover from, tropical cyclones. Following Tropical Cyclone Yasa in 2020, Australia provided $4.5 million in immediate humanitarian relief and deployed the HMAS Adelaide to help with the relief effort. Working closely with the Government of Fiji, Australia is providing a further $34.5 million to support the education recovery, with a focus on rehabilitating damaged or destroyed school infrastructure for up to nine schools and two hospitals. We continue to work closely with the Fijian government and local civil society partners to be better prepared for future tropical cyclones. Through our Disaster Resilience Program (DRP) and Australia Assists, we provide direct support to the National Disaster Risk Management Office (NDRMO), including in logistics, legislative drafting and training for humanitarian responders.
International cooperation
Australia and Fiji work together in multilateral forums as fellow members of the UN, World Trade Organization, Commonwealth, and Pacific Islands Forum. Fiji was the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum in 2021-22. Fiji was elected to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2019-21 term, overlapping with Australia's 2018-20 term. Fiji's Presidency of the 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP 23) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change oversaw successful negotiations on the Rulebook and the establishment of the 'Talanoa Dialogue' ministerial-level review of global action on climate change. Australia provided $6 million to support Fiji's Presidency.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended the 54th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders’ Meeting in Solomon Islands from 10 to 11 September 2025, where he joined Pacific Leaders in signing the Pacific Resilience Facility Treaty, establishing the first Pacific-led regional climate financing mechanism.
Australia stood with Pacific neighbours, including Fiji, in declaring the Blue Pacific an Ocean of Peace, calling on the international community to respect Pacific-led approaches to peace and security.