Solomon Islands, represented by Foreign Affairs Minister, Peter Shanel Agovaka, participated in the High-Level Summit of the Group of Seven Plus (g7+) during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The summit was co-hosted by Solomon Islands alongside Sierra Leone, Burundi, Liberia, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Timor-Leste under the theme “A New Chapter for the g7+: Advancing Sovereign Development and Strategic Unity.”
The g7+ brings together 20 countries affected by or recovering from conflict and fragility. It provides a platform for members to share experiences, support each other, and chart their own paths for peace, development, and sustainable growth, ensuring that fragile countries are heard internationally and not viewed solely as aid recipients.
During the summit, Minister Agovaka highlighted Solomon Islands’ priorities for peace-building, inclusive governance, human capital development, and sustainable economic growth.
He emphasized efforts to strengthen community-level peace, national and traditional governance, food security, gender equality, and citizen well-being through investments in education and health.
Minister Agovaka also discussed regional cooperation initiatives, including peer-to-peer learning programs with Timor-Leste in areas such as mining, renewable energy, fisheries, maritime management, climate change, agriculture, trade, and investment.
A key moment of the summit was the ceremonial handover of the g7+ chairmanship, which Minister Agovaka formally accepted on behalf of Solomon Islands. The country will lead the bloc over the next two years, guiding its agenda for sovereign development, regional unity, and resilience.
“Solomon Islands is honoured to assume the chairmanship of the g7+. We will work closely with our partner countries to strengthen cooperation, support development, and promote peace and resilience for all member states,” Minister Agovaka said.
The summit concluded with the signing of “The New York Consensus: Charting a New Chapter for g7+”, establishing a collective agenda for advancing member countries’ sovereignty, strategic unity, and long-term resilience.