After more than a decade in silence, the business community roared back to life as Prime Minister (PM)Jeremiah Manele officially opened the 2025 National Trade Fair on Wednesday in Honiara.
The event is being staged at the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) Park commonly known as the FOPA Village located at the lower Panatina, East Honiara.
Hosted under the theme: ‘Trade for Transformation- Rebuilding the Happy Isles,’ the event marks a powerful national milestone – not only the revival of a long-dormant platform for local enterprise, but also a bold affirmation of country’s collective ambition to drive economic transformation from the grassroots up.
“This is more than just an exhibition,” PM Manele declared in his address. “It is a platform for people forging people to people links, bridging rural communities to Honiara, and the opening pathways to local and international markets.”
With a strong emphasis on inclusivity and resilience, this year’s trade fair places local empowerment front and centre.
He also outlined a vision in which women entrepreneurs, youth innovators, and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are not participants in the economy, but pioneers’ changes.
He reinforced the government’s commitment to providing an enabling environment- through infrastructure investment, improved access to finance, digital transformation, and regulatory reforms to help businesses compete and thrive.
Manele also contextualized the fair within Solomon Island’s journey to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Countries (LDC) list.
“Trade is not just a strategy for graduation- it is our vehicle for sustaining inclusive growth after it,” he said, tying the event to country’s long term economic aspirations under the National Development Strategy 2016-2035.
From innovative to traditional handicrafts, fair gathers entrepreneurs, artisans, investors, and public agencies under one banner-highlighting the ingenuity and creativity of the Solomon Islands.
The event also boosts domestic market visibility for local products and encourages cross-sector collaboration.
The prime minister’s gratitude extended to all stakeholders, especially the Ministry of Commerce, the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Solomon Islands National University, for making the event possible.
“It’s been 11 years since we last held a trade fair,” Manele remind attendees, “Now that it’s back, let’s keep it going.”
By ANDRIANAH DELASALET KOLE
Solomon Star, Honiara
