The new Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, His Excellency Jeff Roach, has officially arrived in Honiara.
High Commissioner Roach presented his credentials to Prime Minister, Hon Jeremiah Manele, on 14 January, and met with Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Hon Peter Shanel Agovaka, as his first official engagements in the country.
“Australia and Solomon Islands are Pacific family and friends – we share a region, a future, and an ever-deepening partnership,” High Commissioner Roach said. “It is an honour to represent the Australian Government in one of Australia’s closest and most important partner countries.”
“Our two nations work together on a huge agenda across almost every sector – focused on improving lives across all provinces in Solomon Islands. I am committed to building further the close partnership with the Government and people of Solomon Islands to deliver on your priorities and development objectives, including as Solomon Islands looks ahead to celebrating its 50th anniversary of Independence in 2028.”
“I very much look forward to growing our partnership including by visiting and meeting communities across all nine provinces in this amazing country”.
“I thank the Government of Solomon Islands for the warm and generous welcome extended to me on arrival”.
High Commissioner Roach is a senior career diplomat with the Australian Government and most recently led the Australian Government’s initiatives on the Tuvalu-Australia Falepili Union and the Nauru-Australia Treaty in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Office of the Pacific.
He has previously served overseas as High Commissioner to Vanuatu and Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative for the Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva.
