GNUT believes enhanced bilaterial ties with UAE and other Gulf States could unlock SI’s development potential
PRIME Minister Jeremiah Manele has emphasized that Solomon Islands enhanced diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other Gulf States could unlock Solomon Islands development potential.
PM Manele highlighted this at a press conference held at the Henderson international airport upon his return last week from his consecutive visit to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
He said the Solomon Islands Embassy in the UAE Capital of Abu Dhabi is the first in the Gulf region and it is part of his Government for National Unity and Transformation’s (GNUT’s) Foreign Policy to enhance Solomon Islands bilateral relations and cooperations with the UAE and other states of the Gulf region. The PM opened the Solomon Islands Embassy in Abu Dhabi during this trip.
He said Solomon Islands is located in a climate change hotspot and one of the global solutions to combating climate change and stabilizing global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius is to rapidly scale up the use of renewable energy. The reduction of global temperatures to the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold established in the Paris Agreement of 2015.
PM Manele said Solomon Islands has a goal of transitioning into a low carbon economy and GNUT hopes to see Solomon Power continue to scale up its action on renewable energy and tap into the renewable energy mix, beyond solar and hydro energy.
He said during the trip to Abu Dhabi, he visited the Masdar Headquarters and looked at various renewable energy initiatives offered by the company. Masdar is a UAE-based leading clean energy company in the world that invests in and develops renewable energy projects.
PM Manele said the UAE government has provided a USDD50 million grant through the Abu Dhabi fund to Masdar for renewable energy projects in the Pacific and Solomon Islands received USD5 million through Solomon Power for the financing of two megawatts solar farms in Honiara.
He said he and his delegation also discussed further opportunities to step up solar technology.
The PM said the cost of solar is decreasing and hence, Solomon Islands may be able transform its energy sector to a greater scale with the help of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) hosted by the UAE and of which, Solomon Islands is a member.
He said IRENA has just completed its readiness survey and its recommendations will guide Solomon Islands to develop a comprehensive renewable energy roadmap.
The PM added that he and his delegation had an initial meeting with the IRENA Secretariat and amongst issues discussed was IRENA’s Small Island Developing States (SIDS) lighthouse initiatives and he registered Solomon Islands support for IRENA’s initiatives and committed Solomon Islands to having a stronger engagement with IRENA.
He said Solomon Islands Ambassador to UAE will shortly be accredited as Solomon Islands Permanent Representative to IRENA and will sit at the IRENA Council as a member.
PM Manele said this accreditation is similar to that of the Solomon Islands Permanent Representative to the United Nations based New York.
He said the Solomon Islands Ambassador to UAE is working to maximize the benefits that IRENA has to offer Solomon Islands and he has requested IRENA to consider deploying a staff to be located in the Ministry of Mines Energy and Rural Electrification in Honiara to ensure a closer collaboration in enhancing the benefits that Solomon Islands can receive from and through IRENA.
PM Manele said he and his delegation also had meetings with interested investors from the UAE and they are looking forward for investment opportunities in Solomon Islands.
He said he has invited the investors to visit Solomon Islands before the end of this year to discuss and consider transformational investments in infrastructure and other areas that would drive development in the country.
PM Manele said it is GNUT’s mission to table a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Bill in Parliament in November/ December this year.
He said the enactment of the SEZ legislation will provide incentives for foreign investors to invest in Solomon Islands, adding that there is tremendous interest in the Bina Harbor Project that could give this transformative investment a major boost.
The PM said the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet will coordinate the next steps of discussions on this SEZ investment initiative to the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources as soon as possible.
By IAN LADDS OSO
Solomon Star, Honiara
