Australia and Solomon Islands strengthen cooperation at the UN, promoting Pacific priorities and multilateral action.
At a time when small and medium nations – like Solomon Islands, Australia and our Pacific Islands Forum neighbours – must work harder to uphold the norms, rules and protections of the international system, the visits this week to New York by Prime Ministers Matthew Wale and Anthony Albanese took on a new importance. Both our countries are committed to finding common solutions and building cooperation in tackling global challenges – and, in doing so, elevating the Blue Pacific’s priorities at the United Nations General Assembly.
The United Nations brings countries together to foster dialogue as the bedrock to the next step: building and delivering cooperation to address global challenges. The UN serves another important function too: a safety release valve for tensions and differences.
As Australian Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva from 2020-23, I witnessed the multilateral system deal with the COVID 19 crisis. In this time, I saw the best of multilateralism in driving greater global equity in vaccination distribution. Then, the frustrations as some nations lost sight of the tragic experiences of COVID, just as negotiations began on a new pandemic prevention and response treaty. Pleasingly, if belatedly, we are now close to such an agreement.
This new, proposed Pandemic Agreement is an example of where Australia and Solomon Islands (and the entire world) will benefit by taking on new health monitoring and reporting obligations to boost international public health security. With other nations, our two countries will become safer and stronger through the treaty. And – as a current member of the WHO’s Executive Board – Solomon Islands is playing a global leadership role at a pivotal time for international public health.
The shared interests in the United Nations system between Australia and Solomon Islands is an important reminder of how much we have in common on the global stage, alongside our longstanding development, security and economic partnership.
Both our countries are proud democracies. We believe in the international rules-based order, respect for sovereignty, and the idea that every country, regardless of size, should have an equal voice in international debate. These are principles that have guided both our nations since independence, and shaped our engagement with the world.
We also share a strong commitment to multilateralism, a simple idea with profound importance: we are all stronger together. As both Solomon Islands and Australia face growing challenges in our region, that principle is more important than ever. We are counting on each other to each play our part in a shared Pacific that is peaceful, stable, prosperous and unified.
As members of the Pacific family, Australia and Solomon Islands often speak with a common purpose on issues that matter most. We know climate change is not a future challenge but a present reality, acutely felt by communities still recovering from Tropical Cyclone Maila and water shortages affecting many parts of the country due to strengthening El Niño conditions. We also know that healthy oceans are essential to our livelihoods, food security and way of life.
This week also marked the launch of Australia’s campaign for election to the United Nations Security Council for the 2029-30 term. The Security Council plays a vital role in maintaining international peace and security, and Australia’s campaign reflects our belief that the Pacific deserves a stronger voice in the institutions that shape our world.
As the first President of the UN Security Council in 1946, Australia has been a consistent voice at the UN for stability, sovereignty and the protection of people for over eighty years.
If elected, Australia would continue to advocate for Pacific priorities, ensuring the concerns and aspirations of countries like Solomon Islands are heard in the world’s most important decision- making forums. Australia will be guided by our commitment to international law; multilateralism; sovereignty; sustainable development; human rights and inclusion; and transparency.
The headquarters of the United Nations may be thousands of kilometres away, but the work undertaken in New York and Geneva affects our lives here, back to communities across Solomon Islands. Together, Australia and Solomon Islands are helping ensure our collective voice continues to be heard.
Lukim iu neks taem!
