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state. Australia and United States should not fear China’s Policy and has worked in Solomon Islands for the World
police support to RSIPF; the program compliments Australia Bank, says: “Neither donors nor multilateral institutions wish
and New Zealand police programs respectively, enhancing to engage Solomon Islands authorities around the issue of
Solomon Islands police capability and capacity... The approach logging. But both government and donors find themselves
taken by Solomon Islands is within the country’s National funding the response to its impacts, not only regarding the
Development Strategy in broadening its security partnership,” loss of water sources, but disasters linked to deforestation
the Prime Minister told local media. – landslides and floods in particular. This trepidation must
“I am disappointed that our sovereignty is disrespected, and end. Solomon Islanders understand both the malign impact of
good faith questioned.” current logging practices and their lack of say in the matter,
July 2023 also marked the 20th anniversary of the start of and the country hosts a broad civil society with which to
the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), engage.”
which aimed to restore peace, stability and normalcy amongst Like many Pacific Island nations, remittances play an
violent ethnic tensions. increasingly important role. The country is projected to earn
From an early opponent of RAMSI—he was enraged when over SBD$200 million in remittances under Australia and New
officers raided his Prime Ministerial office in the course of Zealand’s Labour Mobility Schemes this year, a big increase
an investigation—Sogavare eventually was supportive of the from 2022.
mission and its work. The nation was due to graduate from Least Developed
Vice Chancellor of the Solomon Islands National University, Country (LDC) status in 2024, but that deadline has been
Transform Aqorau notes that while the mission, which was extended to 2027, giving much needed breathing space.
led by Pacific Island states, and helmed by Australia and New As Solomon Islands heads to the election in April 2024, what
Zealand “played a significant role in restoring stability and matters to them most are access to medicines and better
rebuilding damaged infrastructure,” it had limitations, with health services, financial security, quality education and
legacies to this day. trying to fend for their families on a daily basis. What happens
“In the wake of RAMSI’s departure in 2017, the country has in Honiara or global geopolitics is of little interest or concern.
grappled with a range of persistent challenges, primarily poor Sogavare’s supporters believe the improvements to
health services, a lack of adequate infrastructure, and limited infrastructure, post-Games glow and influx of dollars and
economic prospects,” Aqorau writes. interest from a broader range of partners, will be enough to
“The 20th anniversary of RAMSI is a reminder of the crucial convince voters.
role that regional cooperation and international assistance “He deserves praise for his foresight in national leadership,”
can play in resolving crises. However, it also underscores that said his former Deputy Secretary, Futaiasi.
the path to sustainable peace and development is complex, For Dr Tarcisius Kabutaulaka, Associate Professor at the
demanding a comprehensive, integrated approach that goes University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Solomon Islands international
beyond immediate crisis resolution.” relationships need to serve its people.
“Solomon Islands needs China, the US, Australia, Aotearoa
Economic challenges New Zealand and other development partners. Fundamental
At the handover of the national stadium this year, Sogavare to these partnerships should be the improvement of Solomon
said: “Without the financial and economic boost brought in Islanders’ livelihoods, by providing access to adequate
by the 2023 Pacific Games projects, our economy would have and quality social services such as health, education and
collapsed.” transportation. Solomon Islands must dictate and manage the
China has contributed half of the Games’ US$220 million agendas of its international relations. These are development
tab, and the Solomon Islands government nearly one partners – not saviours towards whom Solomon Islands should
third. Australia, Japan and Indonesia have also made big be subservient.”
contributions. “In this era of increasing geopolitical competition, Solomon
But it has come at a cost to some other services. Islands must not kowtow and become a tributary state of
Indepth Solomons reported that work to renovate the others, including China and the US. All development partners
Emergency Unit at the National Referral Hospital (NRH) in are important. But most fundamental is the wellbeing of
Honiara was stopped for over a month because hospital Solomon Islanders. It is therefore important that Solomon
authorities reportedly diverted funds for the project towards Islanders find a middle ground to discuss their country’s
hosting the Pacific Games. relationship with global powers,” he has written.
While the Games were expected to drive up inflation, In walking this tightrope, Manasseh Sogavare is setting the
Sogavare will be looking to leverage its economic spinoffs as future course not only for Solomon Islands, but influencing
Solomon Islands goes to the polls. geopolitics in the wider Pacific Islands region.
Solomon Islands is still largely dependent on logging
income—an extractive industry largely controlled by Asian *Priestley Habru is a PhD Candidate researching Public
interests and notorious for its environmental problems. Diplomacy at The University of Adelaide and former
Writing for the DevPolicy blog, Bobby Anderson, who is a newspaper editor in Solomon Islands.
research fellow at Chiang Mai University’s School of Public

Islands Business, December 2023 13