GOVERNMENT through the Ministry of Traditional Governance, Peace and Ecclesiastical Affairs (MTGPEA) will soon release a national peace policy.
Permanent Secretary (PS) Lottie Vaisekavea confirmed this during the opening of the two-days Peace-building and Security Dialogue at King Solomon Hotel on Tuesday.
The key objectives of the workshop are:
Identifying key conflicts and security issues in the Solomon Islands.
Analyse key conflicts and security issues in Solomon Islands using Root Cause Analysis and Stakeholder Mapping.
Identifying Key Conflicts and Security Drivers and Entry Points for Peacebuilding and Security Interventions.
Exploring contextualise non-violent approaches to resolving conflict and security issues in Solomon Islands.
Exploring the development of a Peacebuilding Community of Practice in Solomon Islands.
Mr Vaisekavaea said, they have to change what they have been doing.
“Because the structures, the institutional structures that have taken us up to this time can no longer keep us and secure us going into the future.
“So in peace-building, going by what Solomon Islands has gone through, transitional justice, we have reconciled, we have made peace with the warring parties.
“We have demobilized them. We are going through a reconciliation process, a reintegration and reparation. These things are behind because they need some resources,” he said.
“And when we look at it in the traditional way, it will always be not enough. Because we would want to have some funds to enable reconciliation to be completed, reparation to be completed, reintegration to be completed.
“And in the reality of where Solomon Islands is at the moment, there is simply not enough,” Mr. Vaisekavea said.
British Deputy High Commissioner to Solomon Islands and Nauru, Ms. Emma Davis encouraged all participants to speak and listen to each other and to try to make the most of what can be achieved in the two days of the dialogue.
She said Solomon Islands has challenges and opportunities available, but also seeing that this trend in the world has increased conflict, which makes the dialogue even more important.
The dialogue is facilitated by Conciliation Resources’ Director of Pacific Programmes (South East Asia & Pacific), Johenna Podlesak and Pacific Programmes Manager (Fiji & Solomon Islands), Adi Litia, with Transcend Oceania’s Programs Manager, Justine Maravu and Programs Assistant, Raki Tuiloma.
The dialogue is supported/funded by the United Kingdom-Integrated Security Fund.
By AGNES MENANOPO
Solomon Star, Honiara
