PRIME Minister Jeremiah Manele has defended his recent SBD2.1 million back-to-back trip to the Gulf States of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), saying that an immediate budgetary support worth SBD8.3 million secured from Riyadh alone outweighs the trip expenses.
Speaking at a press conference prior to his departure to Jakarta Indonesia for the presidential inauguration, Thursday, PM Manele said recent media reports have alluded that the benefits of the two visits were not clear against their associated costs to taxpayers.
“When we analyze the outcomes and benefits of our overseas trips, we must analyze them not only in monetary terms. We must also assess them on the scope and depth of the partnerships that have been developed and how these partnerships develop and provide benefits to our country.
“Over the medium and long-term, many times it is not immediately possible to quantify the value and benefits of our overseas travels and engagements.
“However, these are extremely important because they provide the basis for enhanced practical cooperation and collaboration that will lead to more resources flowing into our country in the future,” the former Solomon Islands Ambassador to the United Nations, United States and Canada said.
“Simply put, Solomon Islands will not be where we are today without the support of our development partners – both bilaterial and multilateral – and hence the importance of remaining engaged in maintaining and expanding the scope of our cooperation with our partners because our development priorities and interests are broader and deeper than those of other Pacific Island states.
“So, we must continue to advocate for our priorities and needs as a Small Island Developing state as well as a Least Developed Country. We cannot just sit in our country and hope that development partner support will just fall onto our lap.
“We must invest time and effort in establishing and nurturing our partnerships. We need to spend money to generate more money,” he added.
PM Manale said for the visits to Saudi Arabia and UAE amounted to SBD2.1 million but added that Saudi Arabia will be providing an immediate budgetary support of SBD8.3 million to Solomon Islands Government and this exceeds the cost of the back-to-back visit by more than SBD6 Million.
He said this money will be deposited into the Solomon Islands Government’s account with the Central Bank of Solomon Islands as soon as Honiara provides the account details to Riyadh.
The PM said some may think this is too small an amount but this is something, given Solomon Islands Government’s budget deficit situation and financial constraints.
PM Manele said Saudi Arabia has also pledged its support towards Solomon Islands hosting of the 2025 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in September.
The PM said Saudi Arabia has also indicated its support to a Legacy Program with the National Hosting Authority for the use of the 2023 Pacific Games Facilities.
He said the actual funding amount is still being liaised on but Solomon Islands Government anticipates receiving a substantial amount of more than USD8.4 million.
Furthermore, he said Saudi Arabia and UAE have also agreed on financing agreements for various projects in Solomon Islands through the Saudi Fund for Development and the Abu Dhabi Fund for development.
By DELI-SHARON OSO
Solomon Star, Honiara