BY LYNNISSHA RUNA – SUNDAY ISLES FREELANCHER
A high-level meeting of senior officials from Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands concluded on Friday 21st May 2023.
The two-day meeting was held at the Forum Fisheries Agency’s conference room in Honiara to discuss important areas like development cooperation in education, trade, judicial, border arrangement, and security along the common borders between the two Melanesia countries that require the attention of senior officials.
The meeting then ended with a high-note signing of the accord by the two delegation heads following the recommendations to intensely pursue implementations through both Bilateral Mechanisms.
The meeting was aimed to discuss the important bilateral mechanism between Solomon Islands (SI) and Papua New Guinea (PNG) that will eventually be elevated to the national level, according to the PNG head of delegation and Acting Deputy Secretary for Foreign Affairs in Papua New Guinea, Magdalene Moihe.
“This 13th Senior Officials meeting aimed at agendas of outstanding MOUs and the treaties, we have between SI and PNG.
“Resembling a status update for both counties to inform us of what we are doing, and if so need be a review arrangement that SI and PNG have to look into improving in moving those issues forward.
“Most importantly both countries are looking into consolidation variable trade, on the contrary, PNG has over 50 registered companies in the Solomon Islands, and PNG residues an important trade and partner to the Solomon Islands.
“And besides the bilateral concerns, Both countries are also members of the sub originals of the Melanesia Spearhead Group, (MSG) and they want to grind together to pursue some of the interests in alignment with bilateral features and speak of common wishes and more important is to see how the relationship is further strengthened for the further future benefits of both counties,” she said.
Meanwhile, speaking during the closing ceremony of the 13th Senior Official Meeting held at the Solomon Islands National University’s (SINU) Fusion Café, Magdalene Moihe said: “I am really happy that we got our agenda’s across in two days and done in one day, tonight was, to sum up, our reports of discussion, and we look forward to the implementations.
“I want to thank the Permanent Secretary (PS) and my Core Chairperson, Mr Colling Beck for the kind hospitality, and I also take this opportunity to recognize your good leadership with the support of your team, in running through the agendas of this meeting.
“The way we do business it’s different from when we do business with those far from us, and compelling the two days discussion truly reflects the true relationship and our Melanesian spirit of Brotherhood and Sisterhood, and that’s the way we do business.
“On behalf of my delegation and your equivalent secretary and my team from Foreign Affairs, I would like to say thank you for playing the host,” the Acting Deputy Secretary for Foreign Affairs Papua New Guinea said.
In response, the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Solomon Islands, Mr. Collin Beck echoed: “The basis of the outcome presents a good foundation in terms of informing our governments, the people, and the press on where we are.
“We are grateful for the connections we have, in terms of the bilateral relationship, cultural Relationship, and the Border that we have that ties our people together along the common Border, Western, Choiseul, and Malaita Outer Islands”.
“On behalf of our Solomon Islands Delegation, our deeper appreciation, to the PNG delegation for your inputs which demonstrated your strong commitment and enthusiasm in making our 13th Senior Official Meeting a success,” Mr Collin Beck said.
