Minister Wong meets with Prime Minister Manele to discuss economic, social and security collaboration.
Australia’s Foreign Minister, Senator Penny Wong, is currently in Honiara to engage in discussions with Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele and members of the Government for National Unity and Transformation.
During her meeting with Prime Minister Manele, Minister Wong extended her congratulations on his recent appointment and attentively listened to the new government’s priorities. In her statement following the meeting, Minister Wong emphasized the longstanding friendship between Australia and the Solomon Islands, highlighting the shared objectives of enhancing economic, social and security outcomes.
“Prime Minister Manele is a good friend of Australia and our meeting today was an opportunity to discuss how we can work together to transform our partnership, and assist Solomon Islands to meet its economic, social and security objectives more quickly,” Minister Wong said.
“Solomon Islands is an important partner for Australia. Our two countries are close neighbours with interconnected futures. “I was pleased to personally reaffirm Australia’s commitment to Solomon Islands as its number one economic, development, infrastructure and security partner. We welcome Prime Minister Manele’s willingness to explore much larger bilateral cooperation between our two countries.”
Minister Wong also held discussions with her counterpart, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade Peter Shanel, Minister for Finance and Treasury Manasseh Sogavare and other key officials. She emphasized Australia’s dedication to fostering Solomon Islands’ long-term economic prosperity, emphasizing a collaborative approach based on mutual trust and open communication.
During the second day of her visit, Minister Wong will engage with members of the local community to witness firsthand the impact of Australia’s support for the education sector on the lives of young Solomon Islanders. Additionally, she will meet with Pacific-Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) workers to understand how the PALM scheme contributes to economic opportunities for individuals and their communities.
