Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has met the visiting President of Japan’s International Cooperation Agency (JICA), His Excellency, Shinichi Kitaoka in Honiara on Tuesday.
At the meeting, Prime Minister Sogavare praised Mr Kitaoka for JICA’s past cooperation toward Solomon Islands, followed by discussions on future cooperation plans.
The two leaders acknowledged the ongoing cooperation between the two countries as JICA plans to continue providing assistance to Solomon Islands in sectors such as infrastructure, climate change, water and waste management and human resource development.
Mr Sogavare further informed the JICA President on the ongoing reforms that the DCC Government is pursuing to tackle pressing issues that challenges the development and governance of the country.
These reforms are aimed at tackling areas including corruption, land tenure systems, climate change and strategies to maintain donor funded infrastructures.
Besides, Mr Sogavare also highlighted the DCC Government’s ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening political stability in the governance of the country.
Prime Minister Sogavare also said the Government is taking strategic measures to address the need for infrastructure and tourism development, which, Mr Kitaoka viewed as an important area for consideration in JICA’s development programmes in countries they are assisting.
President Kitaoka said political stability is an important ingredient towards sustainable and balanced development.
He was impressed by the announcement of the reforms by Prime Minister Sogavare, saying that “achieving a balanced development is difficult but having a comprehensive understanding of each situation is important towards gradually achieving our development goals”.
Mr Kitaoka said JICA, as the development cooperation arm of the Japanese Government is trying its best to reach out to everyone in Solomon Islands and his organisation is happy with the performance of the JICA Office in Honiara as his team looks forward to further enhance development cooperation between the two countries.
The meeting was attended by the Minister of Development Planning and Aid Coordination, Hon. Danny Philip and Senior Officials from both Governments.
– Government Communications Unit
