Australia confirms visa waiver talks with Solomon Islands as part of wider treaty negotiations and mobility cooperation
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that a visa waiver arrangement for Solomon Islanders is among the issues expected to be considered as part of ongoing treaty discussions between Australia and Solomon Islands.
Speaking alongside Prime Minister Matthew Cooper Wale at a media conference in Honiara on Tuesday, July 7, Albanese said Australia wants to see a comprehensive treaty arrangement with Solomon Islands and that visa access would form part of those broader discussions.
“We look forward to these negotiations. They’ll be comprehensive as well. We want a comprehensive treaty and arrangements with the Solomon Islands,” Albanese said.
He said he had tasked senior ministers, including Foreign Minister Penny Wong, to take a closer look at the proposed visa arrangements as part of the treaty negotiations.
Albanese pointed to the recently signed Fiji–Australia Vuvale Union as an example of the type of mobility provisions that could be considered. That agreement includes longer visitor stays for Fijians in Australia of up to four months, five-year multiple-entry visas for business travellers, expanded education access, and broader people-to-people mobility commitments.
“And we have tasked today, I’ve tasked Minister Penny Wong, our Foreign Minister, to lead the discussions, but it will involve Pat Conroy, who’s been here many times as our Minister for Security and Defence, Richard Marles, our Minister for Defence, and other ministers as well,” he said.
Albanese said Australia would work closely with Solomon Islands to shape a treaty that serves the interests of both countries.
Prime Minister Matthew Wale said he is looking forward to the treaty and expects it to deliver the best possible outcome for Solomon Islands.
“Certainly, we will be the last among the Melanesian countries, so we expect the best,” Wale said.
Australia has in recent years formalised major bilateral security and economic agreements with several Pacific countries, including Fiji, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Nauru and Tuvalu.
