The Minister of Fisheries and Trade and TFD senior officials met yesterday at TFD conference room with the Deputy Minister of the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Tuvalu, resident in Suva. The discussions covered a range of areas for cooperation between Tuvalu and Korea on fisheries issues.
The team comprised of H.E. Mr. Young-kyu Park, Ambassador, and his delegation from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea (in Suva), and Mr. Myeongdal Song, Deputy Minister, and his delegation from the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. They arrived in Tuvalu to discuss face-to-face the TFD’s primary objectives for the development of the fishery. Korea has recently approved a large community fisheries project, including the installation of solar panels for the NAFICOT and FOFA fish markets as well as the construction of the TFD training facility, storehouse, boat storage, and the fisheries dock.
The project will provide grant aid funding of US$5 million.
“A large vote of thanks to the Korean Government for their support and will look forward to additional initiatives with Korea in the future,” the director of fisheries, Samasoni Finikaso, said.
Korea is currently concentrating its help on Pacific Rim nations. Tuvalu is the first Pacific nation to make a successful request for funding of a large fisheries project of this type.