Solomon Islands leaders’ meeting with other Pacific region’s leaders at the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders meeting was a successful one in terms of the importance of ensuring our priorities are safeguarded.
Prime Minister, Jeremiah Manele told this to the local media in a press conference upon his delegation’s arrival yesterday from this year’s PIF Leaders Meeting in Tonga.
This year’s PIF Leaders Meeting theme was ‘A Transformative Resilient Pacifiki with a focus on health and education.’
On health, PIF Leaders agreed on developments of:
- A comprehensive health work force for the region that Health Ministers will work on,
- Scale up action on the NDC’s Roadmap for the Pacific, and
- Scale up efforts to end childhood obesity and mental health in the region.
On education, the leaders:
- Supported the prioritization to include investments in the climate-resilience education infrastructure and digital platform in education, and
- Emphasized the importance of the Pacific Regional Education Framework.
PM Manele said, this year’s PIF’s meeting was important not only to ensure SI’s priorities are safeguarded but as well as that the regional priorities and actions are aligned to ensure they maximize our national development outcomes.
He said, the Forum also provided an excellent platform to convene bilateral meetings with our development partners.
Prior to the PIF Leaders Meeting, PM Manele said he was engaged in a program including Dialogue Sessions with the Civil Society, the Private Sector, Heads of the Council of Regional Organizations of the Pacific (CROP), and Dialogue Partners.
“I was very pleased to see the Solomon Islands Civil society represented by Grayham Tahu from the Development Services Exchange (DCE) and the Private Sector by Mr James Dolarii, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI).
“The Civil Society message was the wellbeing and dignity of the people of the build Blue Pacific Continent,” PM Manele said.
He said, the leaders acknowledged that the Private Sector must be supported to drive the regional’s economy.
“The leaders discussed the implementation of the ‘2050 strategy for the blue Pacific continent’ with the Heads of the Council of Regional Organization of the Pacific.
“Leaders also gave a very clear message to the dialogue partners to contribute towards the capitalization of the Pacific Resilience Fund (PRF),” PM Manele said.
Apart from these, this year’s PIF Leaders Meeting also had discussions on Pacific Resilience Facility; Associate Members; Smaller Island States; the review of the Regional Architecture; the Ocean of Peace; the Pacific Policing Initiatives; Ocean and Fisheries; the date and venue of the next PIF Leaders Meeting; and actions to prepare for the 54th PIF Leaders Meeting.
The 54th PIF Leaders Meeting will be held here in Honiara on September 8th to 12th next year. The leaders also picked on many areas that will assist the SI National Government in the hosting of the 54th PIF Leaders Meeting.
PM Manele said, he and his delegation met with many partners and will follow up on the potential partnerships with several partners that will bring tremendous benefits to Solomon Islands.
Overall, he said that his attendance at this year’s Forum Leaders Meeting has been very successful.
PM Manele was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Peter Agovaka who represented the Prime Minister and the National Government at the 53rd PIF official opening as PM was not able to make it in time.
This year’s PIF which was held from 26th to 30th August was for the Pacific region to move beyond policy deliberation to implementation-to achieve transformation by building better now.
The PIF is an annual meeting of PIF Forum Leaders to develop collective responses by convening, engaging in discussions and agree on policies that will ultimately benefit the people of the Pacific region.
Pacific leaders raise regional issues and deliver on their vision for a resilient Pacific Region for peace, harmony, security, social inclusion and prosperity, that ensures all Pacific Islanders can lead free, healthy and productive lives.
The annually PIF Leaders Meeting is a unique opportunity for Forum Leaders to address pressing issues and challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent, and foster collaboration and cooperation in the pursuit of shared goals.
By AGNES MENANOPO
Solomon Star, Honiara
