BY IRWIN ANGIKI
Prime Minister Matthew Wale has committed Solomon Islands towards establishing a treaty with Australia.
This comes as Prime Minister Wale requested an elevation to the bilateral relations with Australia.
It is unclear yet what the treaty will cover.
PM Wale also told media in Canberra, Australia, that he would ‘review’ the controversial 2022 security treaty with China which to date has been kept from the public domain.
Solomon Islands will also sign the Pacific Policing Initiative, which former prime minister Jeremiah Manele had held back from fully supporting.
A press statement by the PM Press Secretariat yesterday described as ‘key outcome’ the agreement by prime ministers Wale and Albanese to begin work towards establishing the treaty.
A joint statement by the two leaders following their meeting said PM Wale wished ‘to bring about transformational change to the relationship’ with Australia ‘cemented in a treaty, and significant enhancement of the bilateral development assistance partnership between the two countries’.
“Both leaders agreed to commence negotiations towards a comprehensive treaty to capture the two countries’ joint ambition for the relationship. Leaders tasked Foreign Ministers, in consultation with other relevant Ministers, to lead the development of this comprehensive treaty with a view to it being concluded as expeditiously as possible,” the joint statement said.
“During their discussion, Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Wale committed to elevate the bilateral relationship on the basis of mutual trust, respect and open dialogue.”
What the treaty could cover
The ‘comprehensive strategic treaty’ is expected to refine and extend beyond the existing 2017 Bilateral Security Treaty and sector agreements and programmes through which Australia is supporting Solomon Islands.
PM Albanese hinted the treaty will be on security and sovereignty of both countries.
“Well, today is, of course, day one and we’ve agreed to develop the comprehensive strategic treaty between us and we’ll work through the issues, but it will be one which identifies our mutual trust, our respect for each other, the sovereignty of both of our nations as we go forward,” Albanese told journalists at a press conference in Canberra yesterday.
“But we have said very clearly we want Australia to be the security partner of choice in our region and we want the Pacific family to look after our security in this region.”
The 2017 Bilateral Security Treaty allows Australia to deploy police, defence and civilian personnel rapidly to Solomon Islands during security crises.
Australia becoming Solomon Islands’ first-choice security partner?
PM Wale was general in his response to questions including whether China would have a role in policing and security in the Solomon Islands.
However, he gave a hint to Australia being his preference, citing turning to a partner which is close by and within the region.
“It will be important in such a treaty, both at the bilateral level, but perhaps also at some stage at the regional level, that the first reference point in these matters is within the region. That I think is very important going forward. So, that’s the direction we want to take,” Wale told the reporters.
Sino-SI security pact to be reviewed
PM Wale told the reporters he will be reviewing the security treaty with China.
“I haven’t been afforded a copy even of that agreement until a day before I left. So, I haven’t had a good look at it. I’ve had a look at it, I’ll be honest with you, but I haven’t had a good look at it. I’ve been praying and fasting about it, but of course, you know, Cabinet will need to have a look at these things. There is a non disclosure clause in it, so I couldn’t show it to you right away, but we are going to be reviewing as we are reviewing other security agreements that we have with many other countries,” Wale told the reporters.
Wale during his time as Opposition leader was initially a harsh critic of the Sino-Solomon Islands security pact, at one point describing it as a ‘clandestine and personal deal’.
However, Wale’s tone towards the pact softened around mid-2025 following a visit to Beijing.
Wale’s Canberra announcements are expected to rock relations with China.
The Chinese embassy told Island Sun it is ready to work with Wale’s government.
“China and the Solomon Islands are comprehensive strategic partners featuring mutual respect and common development for a new era.
“We stand ready to work with the new government of the Solomon Islands to expand practical cooperation in various fields and better benefit the people of both countries,” the Chinese embassy statement said.
Full support for the Pacific Policing Initiative
Changing Solomon Islands’ stand, PM Wale has agreed to sign the MOU for the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI).
“Leaders expressed their commitment to shared responsibilities and contributions to regional security including through the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI). They welcomed that Solomon Islands, under Prime Minister Wale’s leadership, signed the PPI Memoranda of Understanding to enable Royal Solomon Islands Police Force participation in the Pacific Police Support Group, which deploys at the request of other PIF members,” the post-dialogue joint statement by the two leaders yesterday said.
Previously, Solomon Islands has kept the PPI at an arm’s length, with former PM Manele endorsing the PPI ‘in principle’ only, citing the need for more consultation.
The PPI is a regional peace and security programme designed to strengthen law enforcement capability, boost coordination and combat issues like transnational crime and drug trafficking across the Pacific.
It was proposed by Australia in 2023 and formally set in August 2024.
Australia has committed AUD400 million (SBD2.3 billion) to the programme over five years.
Analysts have described the PPI as Australia’s counter-measure to China’s growing influence in the Pacific, and a reaction to the 2022 Sino-Solomons security pact.
Photo credit: Australian High Commissioner (AHC)
For feedback, contact: [email protected]
Editor: [email protected]
