The US Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau was accorded a traditional welcome this morning at the Grand Pacific Hotel.
Welcoming the US Deputy Secretary was Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, cabinet members and members of the diplomatic corps.
In his address, Landau acknowledged God for bringing him safely to Fiji from Washington and expressed deep gratitude for the honour accorded to him through the traditional ceremony.
He shared that as a young boy, he used to study world maps and collect foreign stamps and coins, and Fiji had always seemed like a distant and exotic place to him.
Landau said that being in Fiji and taking part in the ceremony alongside Prime Minister Rabuka was an experience he never imagined would happen in his lifetime.
On behalf of US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he conveyed respect and appreciation to the Government and people of Fiji, describing the occasion as a personal honour he will never forget.
