German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is finally set to embark on a long-awaited trip to the South Pacific this week, her ministry confirmed on Monday. The visit, originally planned for last August but hampered by technical problems with her government plane, will see Baerbock travel to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.
The focus of the trip will be twofold: security policy and climate change. Fiji, particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels with some island settlements already facing evacuation, presents a stark example of the climate crisis. Notably, Baerbock will be the first German foreign minister to visit Fiji and the first to visit Australia and New Zealand in over a decade.
Baerbock’s itinerary begins in Adelaide, Australia, before moving on to engagements in Auckland, New Zealand, on Friday and Saturday. The trip concludes with a visit to Fiji.