Pacific leaders congratulate Labor’s Albanese on election result
SYDNEY (Reuters) – The Solomon Islands has congratulated Australia’s Labor chief, Anthony Albanese, on his election victory, saying a lot “stays to be completed” within the bilateral relationship, as Pacific islands neighbour Fiji welcomed the occasion’s local weather insurance policies.
Albanese mentioned he could be sworn in because the thirty first prime minister on Monday together with 4 senior occasion members, at the same time as vote counting continues, earlier than heading to Tokyo to attend a “Quad” summit on Tuesday with U.S. President Joe Biden and the prime ministers of Japan and India.
The Solomon Islands’ latest signing of a safety pact with China was a serious election challenge for outgoing Prime Minister Scott Morrison, with Western allies involved it may present a gateway for a Chinese language army presence within the Pacific.
China’s overseas minister, Wang Yi, is anticipated to go to the Solomon Islands this week, native media have reported, though Reuters couldn’t verify that with Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare’s workplace.
In a press release on Sunday, Sogavare mentioned his nation “stays Australia’s steadfast pal and growth associate of alternative”.
The Solomon Islands are grateful for Australia’s monetary, medical and safety help through the years, he mentioned, including “a lot nonetheless, stays to be completed”.
Sogavare had written to Albanese and “assured him of taking Solomon Islands’ relationship with Australia to a different stage below Albanese’s tenure”.
Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama congratulated Albanese in a tweet, writing: “Of your many guarantees to help the Pacific, none is extra welcome than your plan to place the local weather first.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern mentioned that she had known as Albanese on Sunday, and that the 2 nations would proceed to work collectively “deepening our partnership with our shut buddies within the Pacific, and advancing our pursuits on the world stage”.
“Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand are at our greatest after we work collectively,” she mentioned.
(Reporting by Kirsty Needham. Enhancing by Gerry Doyle)
