Honiara – The Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum and Prime Minister (PM) Jeremiah Manele, officially opens the Leaders’ Dialogue with the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) on Wednesday morning.
This marks a key milestone in the lead-up to the 54th Pacific Islands Forum discussions.
Welcoming regional leaders and CROP heads to Honiara, Hon. Manele reaffirmed the honour and privilege of hosting the Forum Family in the Solomon Islands, emphasizing the significance of regional unity and cooperation.
“It is a deep honour and privilege for the Government and People of Solomon Islands to be hosting the Forum Family on our shores,” said Manele, following on from his message at the Forum’s opening ceremony the previous evening.
Dialogue to Inform Forum Leaders’ Agenda
Tuesday’s dialogue serves as a critical platform ahead of the formal Leaders’ Plenary and Retreat scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.
Manele stressed the importance of engaging with regional stakeholders to shape political decisions and deepen alignment with shared development goals.
“I have always valued these dialogues as an opportunity to hear directly from stakeholders on key challenges and opportunities,” he said.
“It is an opportunity for Tok Stori, on how we can work together to better deliver for our Pacific people.”
CROP Agencies’ Role in 2050 Strategy
Manele extended a warm welcome to the heads of CROP agencies, acknowledging their central role in implementing regional decisions. He highlighted their contribution to advancing the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, a long-term collective vision for the region.
“This is not a Leaders’ Strategy only – it is ours collectively, as a Blue Pacific Continent,” Manele stated.
“I thank you all CROP Heads, and your respective teams, for working to support the 2050 Strategy implementation.”
While acknowledging the early stages of implementation, Manele expressed confidence in the region’s capacity to progress, provided the right institutional frameworks and political will remain in place.
A Call for Unified Leadership
In his remarks, the Forum Chair emphasized the imperative of leadership across all levels of the regional system — from governments to implementing agencies — in order to ensure meaningful outcomes for Pacific communities.
“Our regional system must always be, first and foremost, centered on our people and the membership that it serves,” Manele said. “Our collective decisions as Forum Leaders are for nought, if not supported by the implementation machinery that our Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific represent.”
Manele closed his opening address by calling for open, candid, and united engagement among leaders and stakeholders, in keeping with the spirit of Pacific solidarity.
“Let us engage with openness, candour, and the spirit of solidarity that defines our Blue Pacific Continent,” he urged.
The session proceeded with remarks from the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum and the Chair of CROP, as leaders and regional heads prepare for deeper deliberations in the coming days.
By John Chrisma
Solomon Star, Honiara
