BY CHARLES STENNETT
Solomon Islands will sign the “Ship Rider Agreement” for the US Coast Guard to patrol its waters with local police aboard.
This is one of the issues discussed in Washington when Prime Minister Matthew Wale met with the US Coast Guard Vice Commandant Admiral Thomas Allan when visiting the United States.
He also met with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on deepening bilateral ties, said a State Department readout.
A Pacnews report said the “Ship Rider agreement” will be signed in Honiara next week to strengthen joint maritime enforcement and surveillance.
“Prime Minister Wale highlighted the urgent need to enhance security across the Pacific region, noting the increasing threats of drug trafficking, human trafficking, and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing,” the report added.
The US Coast Guard has expanded patrols of the South Pacific in recent years, assisting “ship riders” — local Pacific police — to cover millions of kilometers of ocean to inspect for illegal fishing fleets.
The agreement is expected to strengthen joint maritime enforcement and surveillance efforts.
PM Wale emphasized that the Pacific has become a growing transit route for illicit activities, highlighting the importance of improved maritime domain awareness and coordinated regional responses.
Admiral Allan briefed the Prime Minister on the United States Coast Guard’s ongoing and planned initiatives in the Pacific, including efforts to bolster maritime security and capacity-building across island nations.
He reaffirmed the importance of partnerships with Pacific Island countries, particularly through the Pacific Islands Forum to address shared security challenges.
Under this arrangement, 12 Pacific Island countries have signed the Ship Rider Agreement, with Cook Islands signing the first Agreement in 2008.
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