The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration (MCILI) is moving full steam ahead with the implementation of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Act 2025, a flagship policy of the Government of National Unity and Transformation (GNUT) aimed at boosting the Solomon Islands economy.
Key developments include the formal appointment of Board Members of the Solomon Islands Special Economic Zone Authority, with the initial Board Meeting scheduled soon.
Regulations to support the SEZ Act are being finalised in consultation with the Attorney General’s Chambers, and the recruitment for the CEO is underway.
In another major move, the Ministry’s Immigration Division has introduced a new Online Visa and Payments system through an E-gate payment bank account with the ANZ Banking Group Limited, part of a broader Border Management system rolls out.
The Ministry is also assessing the impact of the Small and Medium Enterprise Credit Guarantee Scheme (SMECGS) and Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Credit Line Facility with the Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) and the Development Bank of Solomon Islands (DBSI), with an external report due in April 2026.
The Ministry is also advancing the review of the Legal Minimum Wage, with the revised rate scheduled to take effect in June 2026, following provincial consultations, while at the same time completing the draft concept for the National Institute of Trade and Technology (NITT), securing its budget, and identifying a site for the Institute.
The Ministry is also progressing reform programs, including the Foreign Investment Amendment Act and Labour Law Review, and implementing national projects such as the Mamara New Capital City and Kibiri Economic Growth Centre.
The Acting Minister for Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration, Hon. Manasseh Sogavare, said these initiatives highlight the government’s commitment to driving economic growth and development.
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