Fiji’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Filipo Tarakinikini, has rejected claims that Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka faked a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly (UNGA80).
Tarakinikini said he personally escorted Rabuka and his wife to a leaders’ reception hosted by Trump at New York’s Lotte Palace Hotel, where they exchanged greetings and posed for a photo.
“I also accompanied them in the reception line to meet with the US President. The photo was later shared with me from the White House.”
The Ambassador’s statement followed criticism from the Fiji Labour Party (FLP), which questioned the authenticity of the encounter.
In a Facebook post, the FLP alleged that Rabuka’s Facebook post on 28 September — claiming a “brief encounter” with Trump — was misleading, citing international media reports pf photographs taken during UNGA80.
The party claimed the photograph looked staged with a wax figure or stand-in, calling it a “serious misrepresentation of facts” and accusing the government of spreading “deliberately untrue” information for political gain. It demanded Rabuka clarify whether the image was genuine and why it was presented as an official meeting. “This is not a trivial matter,” the FLP said.
“It is a profound ethical breach that diverts attention from the real issues facing Fijians such as the cost of living, healthcare and unemployment.”
Critics have also pointed to the fact that in many official photos, US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump appear in almost identical poses.
Trump also met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a UN leaders’ reception, where the White House released a photograph showing the leaders with their partners.
Meanwhile, on his return to Fiji, Rabuka addressed Parliament, highlighting the broader outcomes of his recent international visits. “Since assuming office in 2022, my primary goal has been to reinforce our relationships with all our bilateral partners to restore Fiji’s position on the global stage as friends to all and enemy to none,” he said.
Speaking about the UN engagements, he added, “At the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, Fiji reaffirmed its climate and ocean leadership, advocating for the Ocean of Peace Declaration and celebrating the entry into force of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty, which Fiji ratified earlier this year.”
“These strategic engagements will eventually translate into socio-economic developments and stimulate our economy, directly benefiting and uplifting the lives of all Fijians.”
Rabuka concluded, “The trips demonstrate Fiji’s commitment to proactive diplomacy, regional solidarity, and global climate leadership.”
“We will continue to pursue partnerships and initiatives that uphold our sovereignty, protect our environment, and promote the wellbeing of all Fijians.”
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