Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele states Solomon Islands position on the current conflict
Honiara: The government of Solomon Islands hopes to see a cessation of conflict in the Middle East and for the war to end as soon as possible.
The conflict has now entered its second week following bombing strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran, which reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on 28 February.
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele stated the country’s position while speaking to the media during a press conference on Sunday.
“We would like to see diplomacy given a chance for negotiations to take place.
“So that’s our position as a country,” he said.
Prime Minister Manele said he hopes all parties involved in the conflict will return to the negotiating table and resolve their differences peacefully.
He added that any resolution should follow the principles of the United Nations Charter, which member countries, including Solomon Islands, are committed to upholding.
In terms of potential impacts on Solomon Islands, the Prime Minister said rising fuel prices could be one of the main consequences of the conflict.
“The impact will mainly be seen in the price of fuel,” he said.
He added that the Ministry of Finance and Treasury and the Central Bank of Solomon Islands are working closely to monitor the situation and explore ways to cushion any economic effects.
“Certainly there will be an increase in fuel prices. In the past, during the 2022 Russia and Ukraine conflict, that led to an increase in fuel prices,” he said.
Prime Minister Manele said the government and CBSI are closely monitoring the situation to determine what fiscal and monetary policies could be implemented to reduce the impact of rising fuel costs should the conflict continue.
According to reports by BBC, Israel and the United States have long been strong opponents of Iran’s nuclear programme. Western governments claim Iran is attempting to develop nuclear weapons, an allegation Tehran has repeatedly denied.
Israel views Iran as a major threat to its existence and has called for the complete removal of Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes.
The situation escalated again after recent strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
