EU and Solomon Islands discuss sustainable development, trade, and climate issues in Brussels partnership dialogue.
The European Union (EU) and Solomon Islands held their first Partnership Dialogue under the new Samoa Agreement on 4 February in Brussels, marking a significant step in their cooperation. The dialogue allowed both parties to review progress since their last meeting in November 2022.
During the discussions, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the partnership, emphasizing the importance of upholding international law and the multilateral system. They reiterated their shared goal of promoting global peace through diplomacy and cooperation.
The meeting covered a range of topics, including the latest geopolitical trends and national policy priorities of Solomon Islands following the April 2024 general elections. The EU had previously deployed an Election Expert Mission to observe the elections. The two parties also discussed several EU-funded projects aimed at supporting the Solomon Islands’ sustainable development.
Human rights issues, climate change, and environmental concerns were also key topics. Both sides highlighted their ongoing multilateral cooperation, particularly addressing the challenges posed by global warming and rising sea levels in the Pacific. They also reflected on the outcomes of the Fourth Small Island Developing States Conference (SIDS4) in Antigua and Barbuda in May 2024 and looked ahead to the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in 2025, where they will push for an ambitious political declaration on ocean sustainability.
The dialogue also touched on sustainable trade, with the Solomon Islands updating the EU on the implementation of the interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the EU and certain Pacific countries. The two sides discussed ocean governance and fisheries management, particularly focusing on combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing to ensure the sustainability of marine resources.
Solomon Islands also provided an update on preparations for the Honiara Summit in February 2025, which will focus on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.4—conserving and sustainably using oceans, seas, and marine resources. The EU acknowledged the Solomon Islands’ upcoming role as chair of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and expressed its commitment to its partnership with the Pacific, including participation in the PIF Leaders’ Meeting in Honiara in September 2025.
The meeting was co-chaired by Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Peter Shanel Agovaka, along with EU representatives Niclas Kvarnström and Paola Pampaloni from the European External Action Service.
In addition to the dialogue, Minister Agovaka met with EU High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas and European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela to further discuss areas of mutual interest.
