SOLOMON Islands has further strengthened its partnership with Fiji in the justice sector.
This follows a talanoa session between Fiji’s Minister of Justice and Acting Attorney General, Hon. Siromi Turaga, and his Solomon Islands counterpart, Hon. Clezy Rore, during the Justice Agencies Dialogue at the Heritage Park Hotel on Thursday.
Both ministers had earlier signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Suva, Fiji, on 17 February 2025, to enhance cooperation between the two ministries.
The MOU established a “Twinning Program” aimed at promoting collaboration, mutual learning, and professional development between the justice ministries and related agencies of both countries.
Minister Turaga said the key focus of the discussions was to further strengthen that partnership.
“There’s more in terms of realignment of the deal,” he said. “We are specifically looking to learn from the information system you have — particularly the e-filing system in your judiciary.
“That’s my main interest, so that we can address delays in the court system and build public trust and confidence in the justice system.”
The ministers also discussed the possibility of Melanesian Law Ministers meeting in the future to advance shared priorities in the justice sector.
“Right now, we have staff from the Legal Aid Commission working with their counterparts in Papua New Guinea. It just started, but Solomon Islands began this collaboration some time ago.
“We now hope to extend that to Vanuatu as well, strengthening our Melanesian brotherhood,” Turaga said.
Minister Turaga highlighted the many commonalities between Fiji and Solomon Islands, noting longstanding professional and judicial links between the two nations.
“For example, the former Solicitor General of Solomon Islands is now a judge in Fiji. He was our Deputy Solicitor General when I was in the Solicitor’s Office.
We also have a justice who served in Nauru and now sits on Fiji’s Court of Appeal.
The former Chief Justice of Fiji briefly worked in Vanuatu and Solomon Islands.
“Even the former Director of the Fiji Law Reform Commission and former Supervisor of Elections, Walter Ringimoto, is currently a consultant to your Electoral Commission,” he said.
Turaga said that while these professional connections have existed informally for years, the MOU formalises and elevates them to a new level through direct ministerial collaboration.
“The idea is to have a constituted body so we can discuss our common challenges — such as land issues, which we know are more strongly protected here than in Fiji,” he said.
“We also share challenges like unemployment. During RAMSI, our soldiers were here. In terms of legal reform, Fiji may be more advanced, but that’s an area we can share experiences.”
Turaga added that Fiji is also looking to learn from other Pacific nations in its legal reform efforts.
“We want to look at New Zealand, because of its experience with Māori land rights, and also at Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, to better protect and enhance the rights of resource owners,” he said.
“For too long, their rights have been neglected. It’s only fair, now that we are our own masters, to ensure their interests are properly recognised.”
Apart from that, in May 2025, the Fiji Law Reform Commission and the Solomon Islands Law Reform Commission signed an MOU to collaborate on their respective reform efforts.
The Director of Public Prosecution is expected to sign another MOU with DPP in Fiji next week.
The Justice Agencies Dialogue continues will conclude on Monday, 17 November 2025.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
Solomon Star, Honiara
