By EDDIE OSIFELO
SOLOMON Islands is looking to review her air service agreements with some countries in the Pacific next year.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) will work in collaboration with Ministry of Communication and Aviation to carry out the reviews.
Speaking at the sine die motion in Parliament last week, Minister of MFAET, Jeremiah Manele said they are looking at reviewing air service agreements with Papua New Guinea, Fiji and New Zealand.
He said their aim is to ensure that the service agreements with these countries are reciprocal, fair and one the country benefits from.
Apart from that, Manele said on visa waiver arrangement, the reciprocal visa arrangement Solomon Islands has with Peoples Republic of China will come into effect this month.
He said the bio-security arrangement to allow more products to enter the Chinese market is being worked on by Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.
“I am confident this work will come to a conclusion soon so that our private sectors or businesses can export their products to Chinese markets,” he said.
Furthermore, Manele said his ministry in collaboration with Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration, has been working hard to establish reciprocal visa waiver arrangement with other countries.
Further to that, he said this year, the MFAET has achieved and implemented visa waiver arrangements with India, Morocco and PRC.
Manele said this means Solomon Islands citizens with diplomatic and official passports can travel to those countries without having to apply for visas.
