Prime Minister (PM) Jeremiah Manele, MP has welcomed ministers, officials, partners and young professionals to Honiara for the 9th Pacific Water & Wastewater Ministers Forum and the 16th Pacific Water & Wastewater Conference and Expo, saying Solomon Islands is proud to host the region’s leading gathering on water.
“On behalf of the Government and People of Solomon Islands, I warmly welcome you all to Honiara and to the hapi isles,” the Prime Minister said.
He described the event as a convergence of “leaders, innovators, and champions, united by one purpose: to secure safe water and wastewater services for every Pacific Islander, now and into the future.”
The Prime Minister said the forum theme, Water and Wastewater Services for All: Connecting People, Policies, Communities for a Shared Sustainable Future, is a timely reminder that water and sanitation are central to life and development. He stressed that “Water is not just simply a utility issue.”
Acknowledging shared regional challenges, rising seas salting groundwater, prolonged droughts, extreme weather events, ageing systems and increasing costs, Prime Minister Manele urged delegates to turn these into opportunities for cooperation.
“With every challenge comes opportunity, to work smarter, to work together, and to ensure that no Pacific child grows up without safe water and sanitation.”
He encouraged delegates to share knowledge and practical solutions, noting that Pacific integration should also mean cooperation in the planning and delivery of water and wastewater services.
He highlighted Solomon Islands’ own direction, where water and sanitation are prioritised under the National Development Strategy, the Solomon Islands Water Sector Plan and the Government for National Unity and Transformation’s Policy Statement.
“Every dollar invested in water is an investment in people, in livelihoods, and in our shared future,” the Prime Minister said, adding that water and sanitation link directly to health, education, agriculture, energy and climate resilience.
He thanked the many partners present in Honiara, including the diplomatic corps, international and regional organisations, water utilities and the private sector. He also recognised the presence of young water professionals, describing them as future leaders of the sector.
The event will run until Friday at the Aquatic Centre in East Honiara.
Pictures by DPS, Leni Dalavera
– OPMC
