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by Rex RamoHoniara In recent days, the local media have focused on two major developments: the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) meetings in Honiara and the use of sufferance wharves. At the PIF meetings, Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele reaffirmed the region’s unity and commitment to collective progress amid a rapidly evolving…
As the Pacific Islands Forum happens this week in Solomon Islands, the spotlight will fall on the leaders gathering under one roof. All Forum meetings are memorable (or sometimes infamous) for different reasons, but for those at the centre of it all — it is often the more personal experiences…
by Transform Aqorau The leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) will gather in Honiara, Solomon Islands, from 8-12 September 2025 for the 54th annual summit of the region’s premier political body. This year’s meeting carries extra significance: it is the first time in decades that Solomon Islands has hosted the Forum. …
by Tom Smith In a stunning display of misplaced priorities and questionable allegiance, the new Minister of Finance Hon. Trevor Manemahaga used his first 96 hours in office to execute a single, devastating act: dismantling a key policy designed to protect the Solomon Islands from massive revenue leakages. This move,…
By Transparency Solomon Islands The misuse and abuse of entrusted power (Corruption) remains a major problem in the Pacific region and needs urgent action. From people’s voices, experiences, observations and perceptions per Global Corruption Barometer Pacific 2021 report, corruption is a major concern and issue in the region. It is…
by Paul TurnerBritish High Commissioner to Solomon Islands Ok, let’s start with the bad news: the Solomons U16 football boys’ team losing 8-0 to New Zealand was – using a great British understatement – disappointing.  I was there in the stadium last Sunday, sitting next to the New Zealand…
From Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) As Solomon Islands is making preparation for the arrival of the Pacific Island Forum Leaders for the 54th PIF Leaders Meeting, Transparency Solomon Islands reminds leaders of their commitment to TEIENIWA VISION 2020. The Teieniwa Vision was put in place 4-5th February 2020 at the gathering in…
by Niuone Eliuta* The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), a vital platform for regional cooperation, has long been a space where Pacific nations address shared challenges like climate change, economic development and cultural preservation. However, recent actions by China to undermine Taiwan’s participation — at previous Forum meetings, including the 2024…
by Betty Barkha* Children across the Pacific are facing escalating risks to their safety and wellbeing. Research from Save the Children reveals that violence against children is on the rise across five Pacific Island countries — Fiji, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga. Almost 200 children and adolescents as well as…
Seone. Lolesio Shailendra B. Singh Centuries ago, movement across Oceania was limited only by the vastness of the ocean, not by borders or bureaucracies. Our ancestors needed nothing more than courage, traditional knowledge, and a canoe to travel, trade, and reconnect with kin across thousands of miles. Today, the barriers…
