BY NED GAGAHE
The European Union (EU) believes the proposed Bina Harbour Tuna Processing Plant has the potential to transform Malaita’s economy, create employment opportunities, and strengthen Solomon Islands’ position in regional fisheries development.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with Island Sun, Minister Counsellor and Head of Cooperation Maurizio Cian said the project could replicate the economic and social benefits already seen in Noro, Western Province.
“A month ago, together with a colleague from the European Investment Bank, we visited Noro and we could clearly see the positive impact that a processing plant has on the community in terms of health, education and economic development.
“If you have a similar project in Malaita, in Bina, it could lead to a transformation of the whole island,” Mr Cian said.
He said the development can help create jobs and economic opportunities for local people while reducing outward migration from the province.
“A lot of people have already migrated, and this project could help retain people and provide opportunities there,” he said.
However, Mr Cian said that the success of the project will depend heavily on implementation, quality management and securing suitable commercial partners.
“Like any project, it depends very much on how it will be implemented. Timing and quality are essential in guaranteeing success.
“A lot of details still need to be worked out to guarantee economic sustainability and to find the right private sector partnership for processing and exporting tuna,” he said.
He said the project has significant employment potential but warns that careful planning and strong partnerships will be crucial.
EU Ambassador to the Pacific, Barbara Plinkert, said the Bina Harbour project also aligns closely with the growing trade relationship between Solomon Islands and the European Union.
She said around 30 per cent of tuna processed in Noro is exported to European markets under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Solomon Islands and the EU.
“This is only possible because Solomon Islands has been a party to the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union since 2020, which provides quota-free and duty-free access to the EU market,” Ambassador Plinkert said.
She said the agreement allows Solomon Islands to export as much eligible tuna product as it can produce to the European market, helping strengthen local value-added processing.
“The Noro facility already demonstrates how processing on the ground in Solomon Islands strengthens the tuna fisheries value chain.
“Solomon Islands stands out as a very effective and successful example of how this can transform an economy and bring us closer together through trade,” she said.
Ambassador Plinkert said expanding processing capacity in Malaita could generate similar economic benefits for the province while increasing export opportunities to the European Union.
Director for Asia, Central Asia and the Pacific at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), Peteris Ustubs, said the project should also be viewed from a regional development perspective.
He said the combined development of Bina Harbour and a tuna processing facility can open new opportunities for regional fisheries cooperation.
“The harbour development and processing facility could potentially enlarge opportunities for regional cooperation.
“There may be a specific role for Solomon Islands in bringing together greater cooperation related to fisheries across the wider region,” Mr Ustubs said.
He said the project will not only benefit the Solomon Islands economy but could also contribute to broader economic growth across the Pacific.
“Bina Harbour should be seen from many different angles as an important development project,” he said.
The comments were made during a three-day official EU visit to Solomon Islands, where senior European officials met with government leaders and stakeholders to discuss development cooperation, fisheries, infrastructure, renewable energy and economic growth opportunities.
Photo credit: Ned Gagahe
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