Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of the Solomon Islands, Hon. Jeremiah Manele reaffirmed Solomon Islands’ support for Commonwealth priorities and initiatives to address the global challenges facing Small Island States (SIS) across the Commonwealth.
Hon. Manele made his remarks at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kigali, Rwanda on Friday, June 24.
During the meeting, heads of government and representatives discussed enhanced cooperation on three thematic issues, including post-Covid-19 recovery, sustainable and inclusive development, and democracy, peace and governance.
In his address, Minister Manele welcomed the CHOGM 2022 theme of “Delivering a Common Future: Connect, Innovate and Transform” as there comes a better time for the Commonwealth family to collectively address global challenges.
The Minister expressed the existential threat posed by the impact of climate change on the Solomon Islands, resulting in economic losses, and the strain on limited financial resources to support economic development and growth.
“The lack of streamlined mechanisms to access climate change finance to mitigate the impact of climate change remains an ongoing challenge for the Solomon Islands,” said Hon. Manele.
The Minister acknowledged the role of the Commonwealth and its donor partners for their continued commitment to supporting climate change initiatives for small states.
He further commended the Commonwealth’s initiative to create an enabling environment for young people to contribute to decision-making mechanisms, as well as the promotion of youth-led initiatives, to contribute positively to the economic development of their communities. .
Foreign Minister Manele also had bilateral meetings on the sidelines of CHOGM with India, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, UK and Tuvalu.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting will conclude with a retreat on June 25, 2022.
Source: GCU Press