Prime Minister (PM) Jeremiah Manele is set to begin a series of international engagements starting next week.
Speaking at a press conference at the Office of Prime Minister and Cabinet on Monday, PM Manele announced that, as the incoming Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), he will attend the PIF Troika Meeting on April 15 in Fiji.
This meeting is part of the preparations for the PIF Leaders’ Summit, which will be hosted in Honiara in September.
Following that, PM Manele and his ministers will travel to Monaco, France, to participate in the Blue Economy & Finance Forum from June 7–8.
He will then attend the United Nations 3rd Ocean Conference in Nice, France, from June 9–13, where he is scheduled to speak in his capacity as host of the upcoming Honiara Summit.
PM Manele will continue his engagements in Europe by attending the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund Development Forum in Vienna, Austria, from June 16–17.
There, he has been invited to speak and is expected to sign a Framework Agreement between the OPEC Fund and the Solomon Islands.
He also hopes to finalize a financing agreement for concessional funding requested by the Minister of Finance.
In September, PM Manele will attend Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations, scheduled from September 15–17, 2025.
“At the invitation of PNG’s Prime Minister, all Forum Leaders will travel from Honiara to Port Moresby after the Forum Leaders Meeting to participate in PNG’s 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations,” he said.
From Port Moresby, PM Manele will travel to New York to attend the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly from September 21–30, 2025.
Reflecting on his international engagements earlier this year, PM Manele noted his participation in the World Governments Summit in Dubai in February.
“This year, I participated and spoke at the World Governments Summit in Dubai. The opportunity enabled me to hold side meetings with the Special Envoy for the Pacific from the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Head of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development—where I presented the Bina Harbour project business case and the Dala to Atori Road project for financing,” he said.
“I also met with the President of the OPEC Fund and discussed the funding request submitted by the Minister of Finance, which I’ve been assured is under consideration,” he added.
In the meantime, PM Manele welcomed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) and his delegation, who are currently in Honiara to sign a concessional financing agreement with the Minister of Finance for a renewable energy project co-financed with the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
“We currently have two proposals under consideration for concessional funding from the SFD, and I will be presenting a further proposal to the CEO during this visit,” the Prime Minister said.
Some of the trips are funded by international organisations.
By Eddie Osifelo
Solomon Star, Honiara
