President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan sent a congratulatory message to Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu on the occasion of Fiji’s National Day according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan sent parallel messages to the Fijian president and Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka. The correspondence forms part of an established diplomatic practice that accompanies expanding ties between the Gulf state and the Pacific island nation since relations were formalised in 2010.
Fiji marks October 10 as a public holiday to commemorate its independence from Britain in 1970 which occurred on the anniversary of the 1874 Deed of Cession to the United Kingdom. The Fiji Times reports that the day features parades cultural performances and official events promoting national unity across the country’s diverse population. The 2025 celebration marked 55 years of sovereignty following the flag-raising ceremony in Suva attended by Prince Charles.
Bilateral engagement has intensified with a November 2025 meeting in Abu Dhabi between the UAE President and his Fijian counterpart. The encounter focused on opportunities in the economy trade renewable energy tourism and agriculture a WAM dispatch from the time stated. The UAE Pacific Partnership Fund launched in 2013 was highlighted as a vehicle for supporting clean energy projects in Fiji and other island states.
Data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity places Fiji’s exports to the UAE at 2.26 million dollars in 2024 with bottled water and hard liquor among the leading items.[[1]](https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-country/fji/partner/are) UAE shipments to Fiji totalled 11.9 million dollars that year led by copper bars and refined petroleum. The figures reflect incremental growth that officials from both sides have sought to accelerate through proposed trade pacts.
A September 2026 visit by UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi to Suva targeted advancement of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement the Fiji Sun reported. Discussions encompassed climate change renewable energy education and the prospective opening of a UAE embassy in the Fijian capital. The agenda aligned with earlier commitments to bolster connectivity and development assistance in the Pacific.
Fijian authorities have noted UAE funding for solar power schemes in outer islands as an example of concrete collaboration. Separate meetings on the margins of international gatherings have addressed fuel security and aviation links between the two countries. These steps illustrate the breadth of interaction that accompanies the yearly exchange of National Day greetings.
