BY NED GAGAHE
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele says he has not received any official letter from Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape or any other Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders regarding Solomon Islands’ decision to defer the Post-Forum Dialogue with development partners.
Speaking to local media on Friday, August 8, in response to recent comments attributed to Prime Minister Marape, Manele clarified that no formal correspondence has been received by his office.
“I have not received that letter, not from him or from the others,” Manele said. “Of course, I respect the views of other Forum leaders. They have their own views and opinions.”
He added that he hopes regional leaders will understand Solomon Islands’ position once they have reviewed the government’s formal communication outlining the reasons behind the deferment.
“I hope after receiving my letter and the justifications that I stated in the letter in terms of the deferment, I believe colleague leaders in the region, like the President of Palau, will come on board and understand and accept the decision that we have taken,” he said.
Prime Minister Manele explained that the decision to defer the Post-Forum Dialogue, which involves 21 development partners was made in the spirit of sovereignty and respect for the “Pacific Way.”
He said the decision aligns with discussions and resolutions made during the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting (PIFLM) held in Tonga last year.
He further noted that the move has the backing of the Forum’s Troika Plus, a high-level political consultative body made up of the current Forum chair (Tonga), the immediate past chair (Cook Islands), the incoming chair (Solomon Islands), and the next chair (Palau).
The core reason behind the deferment, according to Manele, is that the new criteria and mechanism for partnership and engagement with development partners agreed upon at the 53rd PIFLM, have not yet been finalized.
“These mechanisms were expected to be ready by December last year and piloted during the 54th PIFLM in Honiara,” Manele said.
“However, as they are not yet in place, we have decided to defer the Post-Forum Dialogue to a later date.”
The deferment has stirred debate among some regional leaders, but Manele maintains that the decision is grounded in established regional processes and a desire to ensure meaningful engagement with partners based on updated and agreed-upon criteria.
