Press Releases
Signing and Exchange of Notes concerning support for strengthening human resource development to Solomon Islands (Grant aid “the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship”)
On July 29, in Honiara, the capital of Solomon Islands, H.E. Mr. HIGUCHI Keiichi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Solomon Islands, and Hon. Peter Shanel AGOVAKA, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Solomon Islands, signed and exchanged notes for the second batch of "the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship " (project up to one hundred and seventy-eight million yen).
- Given the complexity of development challenges, it is required in Solomon Islands to improve the administrative capabilities of the ministries and government agencies as well as to build capacities of young government officials. Following the Fiscal Year 2025, this project in Fiscal Year 2026 will continue to support the young government officials of Solomon Islands to obtain master's degrees at graduate schools in Japan.
- It is expected that the human resources developed through this cooperation will contribute to solving development issues in various fields in Solomon Islands in the future, as well as to building mutual understanding and friendly relations between Japan and Solomon Islands.
- In the “Leaders Declaration” and the "Joint Action Plan" issued at the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10) held on July 18, 2024, Japan has announced "People-centered Development" as one of the priority areas of Japan’s cooperation, and this project will help to realize the Plan.
(Reference1) Basic Data on Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands has an area of 28,900 square kilometers, a population of 819,198 (World Bank, 2024), and a gross national income (GNI) per capita of US$2,080 (World Bank, 2024).
(Reference2) 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM 10)
On July 18, 2024, the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10) was co-chaired by Prime Minister KISHIDA and Prime Minister BROWN of the Cook Islands, the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). The Meeting was attended by the leaders and representatives of 19 countries, regions and regional organization including Japan, 14 Pacific Island countries, two French overseas collectivities, Australia, and New Zealand, and the chair of Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). From Solomon Islands, Prime Minister Manele attended.
The Government of Japan announced Japan’s commitment to continue its robust development assistance and support for more than 6,500 people-to-people exchanges as well as human resource development over the next three years based on the seven priority areas of cooperation which are in line with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent or “2050 Strategy" of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF): (1) Political Leadership and Regionalism, (2) People-centered Development, (3) Peace and Security, (4) Resources and Economic Development, (5) Climate Change and Disasters, (6) Ocean and Environment, (7) Technology and Connectivity.