Heads Of Mission Talks End Successfully

Heads Of Mission Talks End Successfully

A meeting of the Heads of Solomon Islands Diplomatic Missions overseas has ended successfully on Friday in Honiara.

The consultation meeting, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Mr George Hiele was attended by senior officials of the Ministry and Heads of Missions in Canberra, Brussels, New York, Port Moresby, Suva and Taipei.

The Meeting which was officially opened by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Hon. Peter Shanel Agovaka discussed issues including:

• The NCRA government foreign policy translation
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade 2011 – 2013 Corporate Plan
• The 2011 annual work programme
• The Ministry’s manpower and training needs
• Missions’ Progress reports
• Proposed SI overseas Missions
• Presentations on trade development and MSG matters
• Review of the SI Overseas Regulation and
• MSG new initiative

In his opening statement on Tuesday, Hon Agovaka highlighted the NCRA government’ foreign Policy and called on the Heads of Missions to work as a team with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, other technical Ministries and relevant stakeholders in the country to implement government’s foreign policy goals and objectives.

He emphasized the need for broader team work in order to address the current and emerging challenges that confront Solomon Islands.

The Meeting among other things noted the current capacity constraints of the Ministry and the overseas Missions in implementing the government’s foreign policy initiatives and recommended the timely and adequate provision of resources for capacity building, institutional strengthening and manpower training in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade.

The Meeting also discussed the importance of employment opportunities for Solomon Islanders offered under various labor mobility schemes in NZ, Australia, Canada and Guam and recommends the urgent need for government to put in place training schemes to train and up-skill Solomon Islanders in order to access these employment opportunities.

Other initiatives raised and discussed in the meeting include:

• The MSG Development Bank
• Post MSG Dialogue Partners Meeting
• Establishment of new Overseas Missions and staff deployment
• Solomon Island response to the current and emerging challenges and changing political landscape.

ENDS///