BY LORETTA B MANELE

Spouses of the 54th PIF (Pacific Islands Forum) Leaders Meeting are keen to bring St Joseph’s National Secondary School water issue to PIF Secretary General, Baron Divavesi Waqa’s attention.

This was raised by Louisa Waqa, wife of Mr Waqa after the spouses paid a visit to the school on Wednesday, September 10, 2025.

Speaking to the media after the visit, she stressed that the school with over 700 students is a big school and one concern the principal raised was not having enough supply of water.

Waqa expressed that as a teacher by profession, she understands the principal’s concern about the issue of water.

“As we all know, water is needed every day. So as a teacher, I can see where the principal is coming from,” she said.

Waqa mentioned that this is something she will discuss with the other spouses and she will try her best to bring the issue forward to the PIF Secretary General.

“To see if we can get some assistance to better the water situation because it is necessary. If we are to promote healthy living, water is very, very important,” she stressed.

On another note, having visited the Art Gallery, Amazing Grace Boutique Cocoa Farm, a trade fair organised by Central Guadalcanal Youths, St Joseph’s National Secondary School and Kokonut Pacific Solomon Islands, Waqa said she is very amazed at what is happening around Honiara.

She expressed that it is good to see a lot of local products and to learn a lot from these visits.

Of all the visits, the main attraction for her was the visit to St Joseph’s National Secondary School.

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BY BEN BILUA

THE Solomon Islands has signed a Security Agreement with Papua New Guinea.

Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea James Marape and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele sealed the 10-year Security Agreement before heading to Munda, in Western Province for the Forum Leaders Retreat yesterday morning.

Speaking during the signing, Manele said the security agreement marks another historical milestone on the long and enduring relationship between Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.

He said the new security agreement is to Administer the Special Areas 1989 Agreement and a memorandum of understanding on combined surveillance for the maritime border agreed by the two countries.

Manele said an updated framework is destined to address current and future issues.

He said the agreement is fitting as both countries are connected by culture, by bloods and by geography countries.

Manele said the agreement reflects commitments to build a resilient future rooted in cooperation, common understanding and mutual respect for prosperity.

“We are here to reaffirm our shared responsibilities to preserve traditional rights for our people, their movement, trade and cultural exchange – strengthening our national obligation for law and order, peace stability and good neighbour relations.

“This is inline with the theme of 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting ‘Iumi Tugeda: Act now for Integrated Blue Pacific Continent’ – our action today embodies the spirit of the wantok spirit and close economic integration between people along the borders,” he said.

Marape acknowledges the agreement saying that Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea are good friends with close bloodlines and culture.

He said the agreement will play an important role on people’s movement on both side while respecting the maritime law and border.

“Happy to be here with my brother Prime Minister of Solomon Islands”, Marape said.

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BY LORETTA B MANELE

Climate budgeting reform is an ongoing commitment of the Solomon Islands government at country level, says Roy Mae, Deputy Secretary for the Ministry of National Planning and Development Coordination (MNPDC).

He discussed this during a panel session at the 54th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting Side Event “Unpacking Resilience-Strengthening Systems, Capacities and Practical Solutions” yesterday.

Mae said climate budget, simply, is a galvanized process of identification, measurement, and monitoring of climate and environmental expenditure.

Meanwhile, he said that the reform is to strengthen coordination between the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of National Planning and Ministry of Finance in leading government agencies to make a response to climate change.

The aim of this reform as said is to improve the country’s capacity to address climate change finance as well as to strengthen planning and public spending.

He explained that in terms of the role of the Ministry of Planning, one of the main mandates are the preparation of national development plans, middle-tier plans, as well as the annual development budget.

Speaking of national development plans, Mae said at the moment there is a 20-year National Development Strategy 2016-2035 which includes components like; sustainable and inclusive economic growth, poverty alleviation, access to social services like education and health, and the important ones are resilience, environment, sustainable development, and the last one is good governance and unity.

“In terms of the middle-tier plan, we have the middle-tier strategy in place as a vehicle for implementing the national development strategy, and on an annual basis, we have the development budget that will be used to fund projects and programs in sectors and line ministries,” he added.

Mae emphasised that from this process, there is an opportunity to integrate climate budget targeting to ensure that resilience priorities are mainstreamed across sectors and government ministries when preparing the development programs, as well as development projects.

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BY LORETTA B MANELE

This year’s 54th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting’s theme “Iumi Tugeda: Act Now for an Integrated Blue Pacific Continent” is a powerful call to action.

Minister for National Planning and Development Coordination (MNPDC), Rex Ramofafia made the statement when he spoke at one of PIF’s Side Events called “Unpacking Resilience- Strengthening Systems, Capacities and Practical Solutions” on Thursday, September 11, 2025.

“It’s a powerful call to action and it reminds us that our survival and prosperity depends on our unity and ability to build coherence across our region,” he said.

Ramofafia added that at the heart of this call to action, lies resilience.

On this note, he said it is not an optional item and it must be the core principle of everything that they do.

“Across our blue Pacific nation leading the way by getting the integration of mixed informed development into governance, planning and service delivery,” said Ramofafia.

He voiced that this is about a transformative shift from merely responding to disaster to proactively shaping a resilient future.

“We are sending a message, especially a proactiveness to our people in bringing behaviour and improving our readiness for vulnerability that we face,” said the Minister.

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BY BEN BILUA

PRIME Minister Jeremiah Manele has sent his greetings to the government and people of Papua New Guinea ahead of their 50th Independence Anniversary.

Speaking during the signing of Security Agreement with his counterpart James Marape, Manele said Papua New Guinea has reached another milestone worth celebrating.

He said 50th years of independence is not just a celebration but a golden anniversary and a milestone not only for PNG but for the entire pacific family.

Manele said PNG’s Golden Anniversary is a testament of shared struggles and triumphs that shape the region.

“It inspires us to continue working together for the next fifty years.

“On behalf of the government and people of Solomon Islands, I wish to thank the government of PNG for the partnership and good will that have brought us to this moment.

“May this framework serve as a foundation for deeper cooperation, stronger border communities, and enduring friendship between our two countries,” he said.

This year, Papua New Guinea will celebrate its 50 years of independence, a journey that began in 1975 when country became a sovereign nation.

It is a time to honour our past, recognise our achievements, and recommit ourselves to the ideals that our founding fathers envisioned: unity, progress, and prosperity for all.

In a statement released earlier this month, Marape calls on his people to unite as one people, one nation, with a shared vision for the future.

“Let the drumbeats of our kundu resonate across the land, and let the vibrant colors of our bilums reflect our pride and hope.

“Together, we will write the next chapter of Papua New Guinea’s history—a chapter of progress, unity, and opportunity for all,” he said.

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BY LORETTA B MANELE

The establishment of the Pacific Resilient Facility is vital thus, the focus now pivots towards sustainable ground investment, says Rex Ramofafia, Minister of National Planning and Development Coordination (MNPDC).

He stressed this whilst delivering opening remarks at a Side Event of the 54th PIF Meeting called, “Unpacking Resilience-Strengthening Systems, Capacities and Practical Solutions” on Thursday, September 11, 2025.

The Pacific Resilience Facility which was signed by 54th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders on Wednesday, September 10, 2025 is to help people in the Pacific who are the most vulnerable to risks of climate change and disaster.

Ramofafia said our focus now pivots towards ground investment.

“We must channel climate and disaster risk financing into projects that build adaptive capacity, protect lives, safeguard livelihoods and create pathways to prosperity,” he said.

Ramofafia also stated that they must also move from financing resilience in theory to building it in concrete reality, especially in rural areas.

The minister gave three important key messages.

Speaking on the first one, he pointed out that mainstream resilience is not a choice but a necessity.

“Our national and sectoral planning and budget cycle are the most critical windows for this integration,” said Ramofafia.

Second to this, he said we must invest in data inclusive community engagement.

“This ensures our planning and resources allocation is driven by sound evidence, allowing us to anticipate and respond to risk proactively,” said Ramofafia.

The third key message he stressed on is that regional platforms like the Pacific Resilient Facility must be leveraged to mobilise climate resilient risk financing that is bound to our unique context and specific need of national system.

The Minister noted that the Side Event is a shared space to learn and discuss common challenges.

“This event is a shared space for our peer learning, a place to discuss our common challenges and to share the innovative approach we are developing to strengthen our resilience and secure a prosperous future,” he said.

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) Director-General, Noan David Pakop has highlighted the strategic importance of fisheries and the collective role of Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) in safeguarding the Pacific’s tuna resources.

Pakop stressed this when he spoke to the Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific (CROP) during the PIF Leaders dialogue on Tuesday this week under the session “Political Leadership & Regionalism and Peace & Security”.

He told CROP leaders that the Blue Pacific Continent spans over 30 million square kilometres and over 20 percent of the world’s Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ).

“Within it, tuna is our region’s common currency – sustaining government revenues, livelihoods, food security, and employment. These benefits are only secure when we work together, upholding maritime sovereignty and exercising vigilance against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing,” Pakop said.

He said that the Pacific remains the only region in the world where all four major tuna stocks – skipjack, yellowfin, bigeye, and albacore – are biologically healthy.

He urged leaders to extend MCS frameworks to the high seas, strengthen investment in technology and data sharing, as well as coordinated enforcement – and integrate fisheries surveillance into broader regional security frameworks.

“By resourcing our joint surveillance and staying united, we will ensure that our Blue Pacific fisheries continue to underpin resilience, security, and sustainable development for generations to come,” he said.

He said that losses reduced from US$152 million in 2016 to US$43 million in 2021 is due to strong results in tackling Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Whilst celebrating progress, Pakop reminded leaders of the pressing challenges facing the region like climate change, shifting tuna distribution, economic pressures, and continuing IUU fishing activities.

“The progress we have made tells us one thing – working together makes us stronger. As we look to the future, the FFA remains committed to ensuring our tuna legacy benefits Pacific people first and foremost. Let us continue to work together, innovate together, and lead the world in sustainable fisheries management – for our people, our ocean, and our future, Iumi Tugeda, as one Blue Pacific,” said Pakop.

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