TRANSPARENCY SOLOMON ISLANDS (TSI) OBSERVATION

Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) welcomes the growing financial and technical support pledged to Solomon Islands following the election of the GREAT Coalition Government.

Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Japan, the European Union, China, and other development partners have reaffirmed or expanded their commitments to support Solomon Islands through investments in education, governance, infrastructure, security, climate resilience, and economic development.

These commitments represent a significant opportunity. Yet TSI stresses that development assistance alone does not guarantee progress. The true measure of success lies in good governance, transparency, accountability, the responsible management of public resources and the Machinery of Government.

The GREAT Coalition Government has outlined its national vision around four pillars:

• Building strong institutions and good governance
• Developing a productive and sustainable economy
• Promoting responsible stewardship of natural resources
• Investing in people, with human resource development central to sustainable national growth

Many recent commitments align with these priorities. Australia’s increased investment in education, and Japan’s support for human capital development, reinforce the Government’s plan to introduce free education by 2027. New Zealand and the European Union continue to back governance reforms, while other partners are investing in infrastructure, fisheries, agriculture, climate resilience, and economic growth.

These partnerships can help Solomon Islands achieve long-term development goals. However, their success depends not on the size of funding but on how effectively, transparently, and responsibly it is managed. 

Despite decades of assistance, many Solomon Islanders, particularly in rural communities, still face limited access to essential services, inadequate infrastructure, youth unemployment, strained health systems, weak institutions, and persistent concerns about corruption. 

These realities show that financial aid alone does not automatically improve lives; what matters is whether investments deliver lasting, measurable, and equitable benefits.

Development funding is not the personal property of any government or leader. It belongs to the people of Solomon Islands. Moreover, not all assistance comes as grants—some involve concessional loans that must be repaid. This makes transparency, sound financial management and accountability even more critical.

International partners also expect strong accountability and measurable results. Their continued confidence depends on trust, transparency and responsible stewardship. 

Citizens, too, have a vital role: communities, civil society, churches, the media, and ordinary Solomon Islanders must monitor public spending, track projects, and hold leaders accountable. 

TSI believes the current level of international engagement presents one of the greatest development opportunities in recent years. If managed well, these partnerships can:

• Improve education and skills training for youth employment and entrepreneurship
• Strengthen healthcare services, especially for rural and vulnerable communities
• Create jobs and economic opportunities for school leavers
• Support anti-corruption institutions and accountability mechanisms
• Expand infrastructure and essential services to connect communities and markets
• Promote sustainable resource management that empowers resource owners and ensures fair benefits

Yet increased funding also brings greater responsibility. Strong governance must be reflected in transparent procurement, sound financial management, independent oversight, parliamentary scrutiny, public reporting, auditing, conflict-of-interest safeguards, and meaningful citizen participation. Every dollar invested must deliver tangible value for the people.

Transparency Solomon Islands welcomes partnerships that genuinely contribute to national development. At the same time, TSI insists that all agreements and investments be guided by transparency, accountability, and integrity. This requires:

• Full disclosure of development agreements and financing arrangements
• Open and competitive procurement processes
• Regular public reporting on budgets, implementation, and outcomes
• Strong parliamentary oversight of externally funded projects
• A fully operational Solomon Islands Independent Commission Against Corruption (SIICAC)
• Independent audit and accountability institutions
• Greater public participation in planning and resource management

It is also common knowledge that development partners do not have confidence and trust in the Machinery of Government. For this reason, their aid is channel through international consulting companies. These firms design, manage, and implement projects, frequently absorbing a large share of funds. While they bring technical expertise, they also operate as parallel systems of governance, often with limited accountability, no transparency to Solomon Islands institutions or citizens. They run Parallel governance structures, bypass government systems, weakening state capacity The risks associated with it must be properly examined to ensure Solomon Islands truly benefits from these funds. 

The renewed support from development partners is an encouraging vote of confidence in Solomon Islands and the direction set by the GREAT Coalition Government. But history shows that development is not measured by the amount pledged—it is measured by the quality of governance behind its use.

The challenge is not simply attracting international support. The greater challenge is ensuring that every dollar is managed with integrity, transparency, and accountability, and that investments deliver real, measurable, and lasting benefits for all Solomon Islanders.

This is the standard that Transparency Solomon Islands will continue to promote and advocate for.

SOURCE:// TSI MEDIA STATEMENT