Solomon Islands Withdrew Decision To Reject Report

PRESS RELEASE 22/02/08GH

Solomon Islands Withdrew Decision To Reject Ramsi Report

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Dr Derek Sikua has announced today his government’s decision to rescind a decision by the previous government to reject a Forum Review Report on the Regional Assistance Mission Solomon Islands (RAMSI) last year.

Addressing the Forum Foreign Minister’s Standing Committee on RAMSI in Honiara today, Dr Sikua said his government withdrew the decision to reject the report saying instead his cabinet has acknowledged and taken note of it.

The previous government under the leadership of former Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare rejected the report and its recommendations protesting that it was bias and failed to represent the interest of Solomon Islanders.

Despite, Sogavare’s protest at the last Forum Meeting in Tonga, Forum Leaders went on to endorse the report and its recommendations and commended it for the endorsement of the Solomon Islands Government.

Dr Sikua said a Solomon Islands Parliamentary Select Committee will be established to further deliberate on the report and its recommendations before any decision can be made on it by his government.

“My Government has rescinded the decision by the last government to reject the report and we have acknowledged and taken note of the report”.

“This process is part and parcel of the resolution passed by our Parliament last year to undertake a review of RAMSI including the review of the Facilitation of International Assistance Act,” Dr Sikua said.

He said the Solomon Islands Government will consult with RAMSI contributing countries and the Forum in this undertaking.

He said the ongoing dialogue and consultation between his government, the Forum and RAMSI is crucial to better improve the work of RAMSI in Solomon Islands.

Today’s meeting was chaired by the Honorable Sonatane Tu’a Taumoepeau Tupou, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Tonga.

The Premier and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Niue, the Hon Vivian Young, and the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Australia (Hon Stephen Smith), Papua New Guinea (Hon Samuel Tei Abal), Solomon Islands (Hon William Haomae) and Tonga (Hon Sonatane Tu’a Taumoepeau Tupou) participated in today’s first Ministerial meeting of Forum Foreign Ministers Standing Committee on RAMSI.

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