The Republic of Fiji Military Forces is the military force of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of about 4,500 active soldiers and approximately 6,200 reservists, it is one of the smallest militaries in the world and the third largest in the South Pacific region. The Ground Force is organised into six infantry and one engineer battalions.
The president of Fiji is the head of state of the Republic of Fiji. The president is appointed by the Parliament for a three-year term under the terms of the 2013 Constitution. Although not entirely a figurehead, the role of president in the government is largely ceremonial, but there are important reserve powers that may be exercised in the event of a crisis. In addition, the president is the commander-in-chief of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces.
Josaia Voreqe "Frank" Bainimarama is a Fijian politician and former naval officer who served as the prime minister of Fiji from 2007 until 2022. A member of the FijiFirst party, which he founded in 2014, he began his career as an officer in the Fijian navy and commander of the Fijian military. Despite being suspended from Parliament, he served as the opposition leader from 24 December 2022 until 8 March 2023, when he resigned and was replaced by Inia Seruiratu.
Ratu Tevita Momoedonu was a Fijian politician who served as the fifth Prime Minister of Fiji twice – each time extremely briefly. Both appointments were to get around constitutional technicalities; his first term of office – on 27 May 2000 lasted only a few minutes. His second term – from 14 to 16 March 2001 was for two days. He subsequently served his country as Ambassador of Fiji to Japan. Using his chiefly title of "Taukei Sawaieke", he later led pushed for the Yasana of Ba to secede from the Burebasaga and Kubuna Confederacies to form their own fourth confederacy under the Tui Vuda, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, who died in 2011.
The Government Buildings in Suva are the offices of the executive wing of Government of Fiji. Built in the late 1930s as the seat of the colonial administration, the Art Deco buildings today house the Prime Minister of Fiji's offices, the High Court, and several government ministries. It is also the seat of the Parliament of Fiji since 2014, having previously been the seat of Fiji's parliament from independence in 1970 until the 1987 coups.
Ratu Tevita Kapaiwai Lutunauga Uluilakeba Mara is a Fijian career soldier who held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel as of early 2006. On 3 February, he was named Army Chief of Staff, succeeding Colonel Meli Saubulinayau, who was a close relative of his. This position is the fourth highest in the Fijian Military, behind that of the Military Commander, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff RFMF and the Land Force Commander. Mara held the position for several months, before he was appointed Commanding Officer of the Third Infantry Regiment, a key position in the Fiji Army as he controls the infantry division, that has about 500 gun-carrying soldiers. He attended his staff course at Malaysian Armed Forces Staff College, Haigate, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2005.
The Justice and Freedom Party (JFP) was a minor political party in Fiji. It was formed in 2000 to promote the interests of the Indo-Fijian community, and unsuccessfully contested the 2001 and 2006 elections. It was dissolved in 2013.
Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto is a Fijian soldier, politician and former Cabinet Minister. After serving as Commander of the Republic of Fiji Navy, he was appointed as a Minister in the military regime of dictator Frank Bainimarama. He was later appointed commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, before being elected to the Parliament of Fiji in December 2022.
The Iranian Armed Forces, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces, are the combined military forces of Iran, comprising the Islamic Republic of Iran Army (Artesh), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah) and the Law Enforcement Force (Faraja).
The Green Party of Fiji was a political party in Fiji. The party was formed in November 2008 by former interim regime Cabinet Minister Bernadette Ganilau. Like other green parties, the party followed principles of "ecological wisdom, social justice and non-violence, participatory democracy and sustainability".
In April 2009, Fiji underwent a constitutional crisis when the Court of Appeal ruled that the 2006 Fijian coup d'état had been illegal. The Court dismissed the Interim Cabinet led by Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama that had governed Fiji since the coup. However, President Josefa Iloilo announced on a nationwide radio broadcast that he was abrogating the Constitution. He dismissed all judges and constitutional appointees, and reinstated Bainimarama and his cabinet. He also instituted emergency rule which increased police powers and allowed media censorship.
Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda, was a Fijian politician who served as the 3rd President of Fiji from 2000 until 2009, excluding a brief period from 5 December 2006 to 4 January 2007. He held the traditional title of Tui Vuda, the paramount chief of the Vuda district in Ba Province on Fiji's northwest coast. Like many Fijian people, he rarely used his surname and was known simply as Josefa Iloilo. He announced on 28 July 2009 that he would be leaving office on 30 July. At the age of 88, he was the world's oldest head of state.
Ratu Rakuita Saurara Vakalalabure is a Fijian lawyer and former politician who served as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of Fiji from 2001 to 2004. In August 2004 he was convicted of participation in the 2000 Fijian coup d'état and sentenced to six years' imprisonment. He was the son of Ratu Tevita Vakalalabure, who served in both houses of Parliament from the 1970s to the 1990s.
The Fiji national under 20 rugby team is for Fijian rugby union players aged 20 or under on January 1 of the year during which they are selected.
The Islamic Republic of Iran and the Syrian Arab Republic are close strategic allies, and Iran has provided significant support for the Syrian government in the Syrian civil war, including logistical, technical and financial support, as well as training and some combat troops. Iran sees the survival of the Syrian government as being crucial to its regional interests. When the uprising developed into the Syrian Civil War, there were increasing reports of Iranian military support, and of Iranian training of the National Defence Forces both in Syria and Iran. From late 2011 and early 2012, Iran's IRGC began sending tens of thousands of volunteers in co-ordination with the Syrian government to prevent the collapse of the Syrian Arab Army; thereby polarising the conflict along sectarian lines.
Sergey Vladimirovich Surovikin is a Russian army general who serves as head of the Coordinating Committee for Air Defence under the Council of Defence Ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) since September 2023.
Elena Baravilala is a Fijian singer-songwriter, Five singles performed by Baravilala, "Fire", "Rain", "You Got You", "Home" And "Seven" were nominated at the Fiji Performing Rights Association Music Awards. From which she has won Best Composition and Music video for "Fire" in 2014 and Best Composition for "Seven" in 2018.
Humphrey Tawake is a senior officer in the Republic of Fiji Naval Service.
Jone Logavatu Kalouniwai is a major general in the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) who currently serves as the commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces since 16 September 2021. Previously served as director general of National Security and Intelligence, Ministry of Defence and National Security from May 2020 to September 2021, he also served as section commander in Lebanon and instructor at the RFMF Training School.
Brigadier Mosese Tikoitoga was a Fijian soldier and diplomat, who served as Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces from 2014 to 2015.
