Solomons: Aust. Minister of Foreign Affairs Visits

Visit to Solomon Islands

I will visit the Solomon Islands from 19 to 20 May, with the New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rt Hon Winston Peters MP. The main purpose of our visit will be to hold joint bilateral meetings in Honiara with the new Solomon Islands Government.

We will meet Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, Foreign Minister
Patteson Oti and other Cabinet Ministers. We will also call on the Leader of the Opposition Fred Fono. During the visit we will lay a wreath at the Police Memorial in memory of AFP officer Adam Dunning who was killed while on duty in the Solomon Islands in 2004.

The leadership role played by Australia and New Zealand in the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) demonstrates our commitment to helping Solomon Islands meet the many long-term challenges it faces to its stability and development. RAMSI can assist, but ultimately the Government and people of Solomon Islands are responsible for their own destiny.

Recent unrest underlines the urgent need for Solomon Islands to focus on improving good governance, eliminating corruption, generating economic opportunity for young people, and building peace and reconciliation. Australia and RAMSI are ready to assist and we urge the new Government to commit to taking the RAMSI partnership forward.

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