Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele of Solomon Islands met with outgoing Indonesian Ambassador Andriana Supandy on Saturday for a farewell courtesy call, marking the end of Ambassador Supandy’s more than six-year diplomatic tenure which began in August 2019.
Strengthening Ties
The meeting provided an opportunity to review the growing relationship between Solomon Islands and Indonesia. Prime Minister Manele commended Ambassador Supandy for his contributions to strengthening ties between the two nations, particularly highlighting Indonesia’s support across multiple sectors including education, trade, and policing cooperation.
Prime Minister Manele specifically acknowledged Indonesia’s support for the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting hosted by Solomon Islands. Ambassador Supandy relayed greetings from the President of the Republic of Indonesia and expressed appreciation for witnessing the opening of the 2023 Pacific Games during his posting.
Future Cooperation
Indonesia plans to send a scoping mission to Solomon Islands to identify priority areas for future collaboration. Prime Minister Manele welcomed this initiative, anticipating it will further enhance development cooperation. Discussions covered potential collaboration in areas such as aviation, health, and tourism.
Both leaders acknowledged shared interests in marine conservation and sustainable ocean resource management, including collaboration within the Coral Triangle Initiative. A Memorandum of Understanding on education, police cooperation, women empowerment, and capacity-building programs is also underway.
Prime Minister Manele reaffirmed Solomon Islands’ respect for Indonesia’s sovereignty and expressed confidence in the continued strengthening of bilateral relations. He also noted Solomon Islands’ upcoming 50th Independence Anniversary in 2028 and anticipates celebrating this milestone with partners like Indonesia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sectors has Indonesia supported in Solomon Islands?
Indonesia has provided support to Solomon Islands in education, trade, agriculture, fisheries, sports, policing cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges.
What is the Coral Triangle Initiative?
The Coral Triangle Initiative is a multilateral partnership for the conservation of marine resources in the Coral Triangle region, and both Indonesia and Solomon Islands are members.
What is Indonesia planning to do next regarding cooperation with Solomon Islands?
Indonesia plans to dispatch a scoping mission to Solomon Islands to assess priority areas and better understand the needs and aspirations of the Solomon Islands people.
As Solomon Islands and Indonesia look toward the future, how might continued collaboration shape the development and sustainability of these two archipelagic nations?
