PM WALE, SPC DELEGATION DISCUSS STRONGER TECHNICAL COOPERATION

Honiara, 14 August 2026 — Prime Minister Matthew Wale has held discussions with senior Pacific Community (SPC) officials on strengthening technical cooperation across key Solomon Islands development priorities, including ocean management, maritime boundaries, fisheries, climate change, renewable energy, agriculture and natural resources.

On Wednesday, 12 August, an SPC delegation led by Director-General Dr Paula Vivili briefed the Prime Minister on current programmes SPC is implementing with various government ministries in the country. Dr Vivili committed to ensuring SPC’s programmes and technical assistance are aligned with Government priorities.

Maritime boundaries were a key focus of the discussions.

Tony Kabasi, Team Leader for SPC’s Ocean Management and Literacy, who accompanied the Director-General, updated the Prime Minister on SPC’s work on maritime boundaries. He noted that, working with Solomon Islands ministry officials, SPC hopes to have the final maritime boundary between Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea ready for signing by the two Prime Ministers at this year’s Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau.

SPC is also supporting Solomon Islands’ submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf to secure sovereign rights over seabed areas beyond its territorial waters.

The Director-General and his team, comprising mostly Solomon Islands staff of the organisation and the Director of SPC’s Melanesian Sub-regional Office in Vanuatu, also briefed the Prime Minister on the scope of SPC’s work in Solomon Islands.

Prime Minister Wale welcomed the support, stressing the importance of building national capacity to sustainably manage and benefit from the country’s ocean resources.

Fisheries and coastal livelihoods were also discussed, including tuna sustainability and translating scientific assessments into benefits for local communities and fishers.

Prime Minister Wale raised concerns about declining catches among local fishermen and lives lost at sea, highlighting the importance of coastal fisheries, food security and livelihoods.

Energy was another priority. Prime Minister Wale outlined efforts to expand renewable energy and reduce electricity costs, including the Tina River 15-megawatt hydropower project.

He also sought SPC support for Solomon Islands’ application to the Green Climate Fund and shared his Government’s vision for solar energy and other renewable energy options.

The meeting also discussed scientific and technical support for seabed minerals, terrestrial mining, geology and natural resource management.

Prime Minister Wale emphasised the importance of institutions such as SPC in building a pool of expertise to provide members with independent technical advice and strong scientific evidence, ensuring resource development and utilisation in member countries is responsible and delivers long-term national benefits.

SPC agreed to the Government’s suggestion that it work with the Government to produce a revolving three-year joint country strategy to better coordinate its support.

Prime Minister Wale welcomed the proposal and also expressed his wish to see more Solomon Islanders joining organisations such as SPC to provide services to the wider Pacific region.

The Director-General observed that the distribution of Pacific Islander staffing at SPC is still a work in progress, noting that larger populated countries such as Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea are under-represented.

“SPC is an important regional partner for Solomon Islands. We want to ensure its technical expertise and resources are aligned with our national priorities and help us make better-informed decisions for our people,” Prime Minister Wale said.

OFFICE OF PRIME MINIISTER PRESS RELEASE