BY NED GAGAHE
A high-level European Union (EU) delegation has expressed confidence that the recent change of government in Solomon Islands will not affect ongoing development projects, saying cooperation between the EU and the new administration remains strongly aligned.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with the Island Sun, EU Ambassador to the Pacific, H.E. Barbara Plinkert, said discussions with government leaders had been reassuring and indicated a shared commitment to existing development priorities.
“We don’t have any impression of that sort,” Ambassador Plinkert said when asked whether the transition to the new government would slow down EU-funded projects.
“First of all, this government is in place only since a few weeks. What we understand is that the new government policy will come out sometime soon when the Prime Minister returns from his initial visits to Australia and New Zealand.”
She said discussions held during the visit showed a strong level of alignment between both sides.
“From what we heard in our discussions, we are very aligned. So, we don’t expect any slowing, rather reinforcement of our cooperation,” she said.
The Ambassador said that Solomon Islands appears to be broadening its engagement with international partners while strengthening existing relationships.
“What we understand is that Solomon Islands is opening the space for wider partnerships now and really looking towards strengthening the existing partnerships even further. That is, of course, something that we very much welcome,” she added.
Director for Asia, Central Asia and the Pacific at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships, Peteris Ustubs, echoed the ambassador’s comments, saying the delegation received strong assurances from government leaders.
“I think we received very strong reassurance that our priorities are completely identical with the priorities of the new government,” Mr Ustubs said.
He highlighted the energy sector as one area where cooperation remains closely aligned, particularly in relation to budget support and development assistance.
“That is very important for us to take into account, including in the context of budget support and related cooperation in that sphere,” he said.
While acknowledging that any change of government brings a period of adjustment, Mr Ustubs said there was no indication that implementation of EU-supported programmes would be affected.
“Every transition is a transition, but at the same time there was a full alignment.
“I’m quite confident that the projects we have will continue, and on the projects we discussed, there will be full steam forward in terms of implementation,” he said.
The EU delegation’s visit focused on reviewing existing cooperation programmes and exploring future areas of partnership, including renewable energy, infrastructure development, fisheries, and economic growth initiatives.
For feedback, contact: [email protected]
Editor: [email protected]
