The money was officially handed over by the Acting Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Papua New Guinea, Ambassador Lucy Bogari, to the Solomon Islands Acting High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, Mr. William Soaki, in Port Moresby on Wednesday.
The 1.5 million kina payment is the final portion of the Papua New Guinea assistance which totals up to 23 million kina, under the Memorandum of Agreement relating to existing development assistance to Solomon Islands, which was renewed and signed in 2006 by Foreign Ministers of both countries.
Ambassador Bogari, said she was pleased to be able to present the cheque to a country that share common values and goals with Papua New Guinea in both the regional and international arena.
Ambassador Bogari also highlighted that bilateral relations continued to foster through the various cooperation arrangements that are currently in place between both countries.
Acting High Commissioner William Soaki conveyed to Ambassador Bogari, the gratitude of the people and Government of Solomon Islands for the assistance from Papua New Guinea towards education and the construction of the Solomon Islands chancery in Port Moresby.
He added that the assistance was a practical expression of the true warm spirit of friendship that both governments and people continued to enjoy.
Meanwhile, the release of the final payment now paves the way for both governments to start the negotiation process for the renewal and extension of the new PNG government grant assistance to Solomon Islands.
The Solomon Islands High Commission in Port Moresby has already advised the relevant ministries through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade in Honiara to start with the internal negotiation process.
The Solomon Islands Government has until June to submit the new proposal.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
