Fiji PM thanks India for one lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccines

Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama thanked India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for helping to ‘put stop’ to the COVID-19 pandemic and hailed ‘Vaccine Maitri’ arriving in the nation. Under the programme, the Indian government sent made in India coronavirus vaccines, Covishield, to Fiji. Following the arrival, Fiji PM noted that in a “bleak year for multilateralism”, India assisted the nation in ceasing the global health crisis provided the “valuable” vaccines to other nations. Most recently in March, India-made vaccines landed in Yemen. 

“In a bleak year for multilateralism, you’ve helped put a welcome pause on the pandemic politics that’s kept valuable vaccines in the world’s largest & richest countries,” said Fiji PM according to a statement shared by the Fiji Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport. Earlier, Bainimarama also thanked “friend” PM Modi for helping Fiji and taking a huge step towards the post-COVID-19 era. Fiji PM also said, "dhanyawaad for your commitment."

India’s links with Fiji budded back in 1879 when Indian labourers were brought to Fiji under the indenture system to work on sugarcane plantations. According to the Ministry of External Affairs website, “Between 1879 and 1916 around 60,000 Indians were brought to Fiji. Beginning with early 20th century, Indian traders and others also started arriving in Fiji.” Even before Fiji independence in 1970, India had a Commissioner since 1948 “to look after the interests of people of Indian origin.”

PM Modi Gifts 1.2 Million COVID Vaccine Doses To Bangladesh

Earlier, during his two-day visit to Dhaka, PM Narendra Modi on March 27 gifted 1.2 million doses of coronavirus vaccines to Bangladesh. PM Modi, who is visiting the neighbouring country on his first trip to a foreign nation since the outbreak of coronavirus, handed over a representational box to his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina as a symbol of India’s gift of vaccine doses to Bangladesh. He also handed over a representational key of 109 ambulances to Hasina. PM Modi gifted a Pashmina shawl and an old video of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman from Indian archives to Sheikh Hasina as well. 

Image credits: @FijiPM, @MCTTTFiji-Twitter