Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka inspects the guard of honor upon arrival at Port Moresby International Airport on May 18, 2023, ahead of the India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) Summit in Papua New Guinea. (PHOTO / AFP)

WELLINGTON - Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has arrived in New Zealand on Monday for his first official visit in a quarter of a century, Prime Minister of New Zealand Chris Hipkins said on Tuesday.

"Prime Minister Rabuka officially visited New Zealand in 1998 over 25 years ago, and we look forward to welcoming him here once again," Hipkins said.

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New Zealand and Fiji have a long-standing relationship based on close cooperation in areas of mutual interest such as climate change, and ensuring a safe, secure and economically prosperous Pacific region, Hipkins said.

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While in New Zealand, Rabuka will undertake a series of formal engagements in Auckland and Wellington, including bilateral meetings and a ceremonial visit to the National War Memorial and Pacific War Memorial.