With flower wreath around his neck, Crown Prince Haakon attended a traditional cava ceremony when he landed in Suva on Fiji Monday afternoon.
The Crown Prince and Minister for International Development, Dag-Inge Ulstein (KrF), started the official program in the capital Suva on Monday where they were received at the airport by, among others, Defense Minister Inia Seruiratu.
At Nausori Airport, the Crown Prince inspected 100 soldiers along with Chief of Defense Viliame Naupoto, before heading to the Grand Pacific Hotel to attend a traditional welcome ceremony.
Paradise
The Crown Prince was welcomed on a stage and attended the traditional ceremony and served the Fijian drink cava.
The drink is made by the root of the same name and has a soothing and mild anesthetic effect. Cava is related to black pepper. In Norway, the plant is on the list of prescription drugs.
The Crown Prince gave thanks for their warm welcome in a short speech.
“It’s easy to see why people around the world, including Norwegians, associate the islands in the South Pacific with Paradise,” said the Crown Prince, saying he had been fortunate enough to do some surfing on Sunday.
Sea and climate
Sea and climate change are the main themes of Crown Prince Haakon and Development Minister Ulstein’s trip to the South Pacific. The Crown Prince pointed out in the speech that both Norway and Fiji are small countries in their area, but both countries are coastal nations.
Fiji is the Crown Prince and Ulstein’s second destination on the trip of the South Pacific. On Saturday, they left Tonga, and on Wednesday, the Crown Prince wil be on a plane to Samoa.
Following the welcome ceremony in Fiji, President Jioji Konusi Konrote welcomed the Crown Prince and the Minister of Development in the Borron House presidential residence just outside Suva center Monday afternoon. Later, the trip went to the Prime Minister’s office, where they met Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
