BY INDY MAEALASIA
WHILE there are no immediate plans to re-establish a local office, European Union’s(EU) Ambassador to the Pacific, Barbara Plinkert, has acknowledged calls for its return, stating that the possibility is under ongoing consideration.
Speaking to the media after her first official visit as ambassador accredited to Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, Plinkert remarked, “This is something that we continue to consider….but I hear the calls for opening an office here and I will certainly convey this to our headquarters and see what can be done.”
The EU Honiara office closed down in July 2018 due to a shift in EU’s development cooperation programme, and was relocated to Suva, Fiji.
Despite being physically absent for six years, Ambassador Plinkert said Solomon Islands remains “a very important partner” for the EU and assured “We are here to stay”.
“We have dedicated staff who are looking at the programs, the cooperation that we have with Solomon Islands and traveling regularly, so there’s a very direct link on a permanent basis,” she said.
Several ongoing EU projects, being implemented by government line Ministries and agencies, UN agencies, regional organizations, CROP agencies and civil society organizations include;
- Provincial Governance and service delivery in Solomon Islands Project.
- Urban Water Sanitation Support Project
- Protecting and promoting civil, social, economic and human rights for people with disabilities in Solomon Islands project.
- Central Islands Province Livelihoods Improvement Project (CLIP)
- Solomon Islands Provincial Governance and Service Delivery Project (PGSDP)
- EU-Solomon Islands Partnership for Resilience Building (Budget support to MoFT).
Furthermore, Ambassador Plinkert further pledged that she will make regular visits throughout her tenure to maintain dialogue and cooperation .
“this is very important to us to make sure that our support really reaches and addresses the needs of the Solomon Islands and I can assure you that this is what we are here to do and we continue to do that,” she added.
