Independent Group urges Government to table the Ship Rider Agreement for parliamentary scrutiny and sovereignty review
HONIARA, SOLOMON ISLANDS – The Independent Group in Parliament welcomes the Prime Minister’s recent announcement, made following his official visits to Australia and New Zealand, that the Government intends to review existing security treaties and arrangements and to ensure that future security agreements are brought before Parliament for scrutiny before ratification.
This is a welcome commitment. It reflects the democratic principle that agreements affecting Solomon Islands’ sovereignty, national security and international obligations should not be determined solely by the Executive but should be subject to parliamentary scrutiny and oversight.
The Prime Minister now has an immediate opportunity to demonstrate that this commitment is genuine by tabling the Ship Rider Agreement before Parliament.
The Independent Group calls on the Government to walk the talk by referring the Agreement to Parliament for debate and detailed examination. The principles of accountability and transparency must apply not only to future agreements but also to significant agreements that have already been signed.
The Independent Group reiterates its concern over the manner in which the Ship Rider Agreement was concluded. At the time of its signing, we publicly opposed the Agreement because it was entered into without adequate due diligence, meaningful public consultation and proper parliamentary oversight. An agreement with significant implications for Solomon Islands’ sovereignty, maritime jurisdiction and national security should never have been concluded without a transparent, accountable and legally rigorous process.
The Government failed to demonstrate that a comprehensive legal, constitutional and policy assessment had been undertaken before committing Solomon Islands to the Agreement. Parliament was not afforded the opportunity to examine its provisions, seek independent legal advice or determine whether the Agreement was fully consistent with Solomon Islands’ Constitution, domestic legislation and international obligations.
This fell short of the standards of good governance that the Government itself has consistently promoted. Matters involving national sovereignty require rigorous scrutiny, informed public debate and parliamentary oversight—not executive action alone.
The Ship Rider Agreement raises important legal, constitutional and policy questions that Parliament has a duty to examine carefully.
A particularly significant issue is that the United States is not a State Party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), while Solomon Islands is a State Party and has accepted the rights and obligations established under that Convention.
UNCLOS provides the international legal framework governing maritime boundaries, sovereign rights, fisheries management, law enforcement jurisdiction, freedom of navigation and the exercise of sovereign authority within territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone.
As a State Party, Solomon Islands is required to exercise its maritime jurisdiction consistently with the Convention. Parliament should therefore carefully examine whether the Ship Rider Agreement is fully compatible with Solomon Islands’ obligations under UNCLOS and whether any of its provisions could create legal, operational or sovereignty concerns.
Members of Parliament must also be satisfied that the Agreement fully preserves Solomon Islands’ sovereign authority over maritime law enforcement operations conducted within its territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone, and that any cooperation with foreign enforcement agencies remains subject to Solomon Islands’ laws, Constitution and decision-making authority.
The Independent Group wishes to make it clear that this is not an objection to international cooperation. Solomon Islands benefits from partnerships aimed at combating illegal fishing, transnational crime, drug trafficking and other maritime security threats. However, international cooperation must always be undertaken in a manner that safeguards our sovereignty, respects our constitutional processes and remains fully consistent with international law.
Parliamentary scrutiny would provide Members of Parliament, legal experts, maritime specialists, provincial governments, civil society organisations and the public with the opportunity to assess the Agreement and ensure that it genuinely serves Solomon Islands’ long-term national interest.
It is precisely because of these concerns that the Prime Minister’s recent commitment is so important. The Ship Rider Agreement provides the Government with the first opportunity to honour that commitment. If the Government genuinely intends to strengthen transparency, accountability and democratic governance, it should begin by bringing the Agreement before Parliament for independent scrutiny and debate.
The Independent Group therefore calls on the Government to:
- Immediately table the Ship Rider Agreement at the next sitting of Parliament.
- Refer the Agreement to the Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee for detailed inquiry and public hearings.
- Publish the Government’s legal, constitutional and policy assessments that informed the signing of the Agreement.
- Ensure that Parliament examines the Agreement’s consistency with Solomon Islands’ obligations under UNCLOS and other international legal commitments.
- Introduce legislative or constitutional reforms requiring parliamentary approval for treaties that affect national security, sovereignty or significant international obligations.
Leader of the Independent Group stated:
“We welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to strengthen parliamentary oversight of security treaties. That commitment must now be matched by action. The Ship Rider Agreement should be the first agreement brought before Parliament.”
“The issue is not whether Solomon Islands should cooperate with its international partners. The issue is whether agreements affecting our sovereignty are subjected to proper legal scrutiny, constitutional processes and parliamentary oversight before they bind our nation.”
“Transparency and accountability are demonstrated through actions, not speeches. If the Government truly believes in good governance, then it must walk the talk by allowing Parliament to scrutinise the Ship Rider Agreement.”
The Independent Group stands ready to work constructively with the Government and all Members of Parliament to establish a permanent parliamentary treaty scrutiny framework that strengthens democratic accountability, protects Solomon Islands’ sovereignty and ensures that international agreements enjoy the confidence of Parliament and the people.
SOURCE:// Independence Group Press Release
