Deputy Prime Minister Douglas Ete left the country yesterday to attend the Seventh Pacific Islands Leaders’ Summit (PALM7 Summit) in Japan.
The high level meeting will be held from May 22nd to May 23rd in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture.
The Deputy Prime Minister is accompanied by the Deputy Secretary to Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, William Soaki.
A statement from the Japanese Embassy in Honiara yesterday said, the Pacific Islands Leaders’ Meeting with Japan is a summit-level meeting held every three years since 1997.
“This summit is where leaders discuss issues facing Pacific island countries in order to build cooperative relationships and forge a bond of friendship between Japan and Pacific island countries.”
In 2012, at PALM 6, the leaders agreed on the need for a comprehensive response to climate change adaptation in the Pacific, and on the importance of promoting sustainable development based on human security through the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The PALM7 Summit will be co-chaired by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan and President Tommy Remengesau of Palau.
Under the guidance of Prime Minister Abe and President Remengesau, disaster risk reduction, environment, climate change, maritime issues and fisheries and people to people exchanges will be the main agendas for discussion during the summit.
Trade, investment and international cooperation will also be other areas to be focussed on during the summit.
During the Summit the Pacific Island Leaders will have the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Abe for bilateral talks to discuss matters relating to the cooperation between each Pacific Island countries and Japan.
Solomon Islands spot for the bilateral talks will be from 5:20pm to 5:35pm on May 23rd 2015.
At the end of the summit the Leaders Declaration will be adopted and Prime Minister Abe will summarise the discussions for the day and finally the concluding remarks will be made by President Remengesau.