Leader of the Independent Group, Peter Shanel Agovaka, has called on the Government to immediately table the recently signed Ship Rider Agreement in Parliament, saying it should be the first test of Prime Minister Matthew Wale’s commitment to greater parliamentary oversight of security agreements.
Agovaka welcomed the Prime Minister’s recent announcement, following his visits to Australia and New Zealand, that future security treaties and arrangements would be brought before Parliament for scrutiny before ratification.
“We welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to strengthen parliamentary oversight of security treaties. That commitment must now be matched by action,” Agovaka said.
“The Ship Rider Agreement should be the first agreement brought before Parliament.”
The Government has said it would make the agreement publicly available, but has not indicated bringing it before parliament.
The Independent Group said agreements affecting Solomon Islands’ sovereignty, national security and international obligations should not be determined solely by the Executive, but should be subject to parliamentary debate and oversight.
It said the Ship Rider Agreement was signed without adequate due diligence, meaningful public consultation or parliamentary scrutiny, despite its significant implications for the country’s sovereignty, maritime jurisdiction and national security.
The Group also questioned whether the Government had undertaken sufficient legal, constitutional and policy assessments before committing Solomon Islands to the agreement.
Agovaka said Parliament should be given the opportunity to examine whether the agreement is fully consistent with the Constitution, domestic laws and the country’s international obligations, including under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
He noted that while Solomon Islands is a party to UNCLOS, the United States is not, making parliamentary scrutiny even more important to ensure the agreement does not compromise Solomon Islands’ sovereign rights or legal obligations.
The Independent Group leader stressed that he supports international cooperation to combat illegal fishing, transnational crime and other maritime security threats, but said such cooperation must protect Solomon Islands’ sovereignty and comply with the Constitution and international law.
He called on the Government to:
Table the Ship Rider Agreement at the next sitting of Parliament.
Refer it to the Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee for detailed inquiry and public hearings.
Publish the legal, constitutional and policy advice that informed the Government’s decision to sign the agreement.
Ensure Parliament examines the agreement’s consistency with Solomon Islands’ obligations under UNCLOS and other international legal commitments.
Introduce reforms requiring parliamentary approval for treaties affecting national security, sovereignty or significant international obligations.
“This is an opportunity for the Government to demonstrate its commitment to transparency, accountability and democratic governance,” Agovaka said.
“If parliamentary oversight is to become the new standard, it should begin with the Ship Rider Agreement.”
Meanwhile, as Foreign Affairs minister in 2024 Agovaka signed a number of economic agreements with China. None of those agreements were brought to parliament for scrutiny.
