Positive relationship relationship between Solomons Islands Govt and RAMSI
PRESS STATEMENT (70/08)
23rd July 2008
POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOLOMON ISLANDS GOV’T AND RAMSI HIGHLIGHTED AT OPENING OF PRE-FORUM FOC SESSION
The positive relationship between the Solomon Islands Government and the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) in the past year has been highlighted at the opening of the Pre-Forum Session of the Forum Officials Committee (FOC), the governing council of the Forum Secretariat, today.
In his statement which highlighted the key activities of the Forum Secretariat in the past year, Acting Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Feleti Teo said: “I am happy to report that 2008 has seen a far more positive relationship between the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, the Solomon Islands Government and some members of the Forum.”
“The new Solomon Islands Government decided to rescind the decision of the previous government to reject the findings of the 2007 RAMSI Review Task Force report endorsed by Leaders’ in Tonga in 2007 and two meetings of the Forum Ministerial Standing Committee comprising Foreign Ministers from Australia, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga,” said Mr Teo.
“A partnership framework between the Solomon Islands Government and RAMSI which will among other things set the strategic direction of RAMSI in coming years and develop jointly agreed conditions and indicative timelines for RAMSI’s phasing down across sectors is also being developed.”
On the situation in Fiji, Mr Teo told the FOC meeting that the Forum continues to promote dialogue between Fiji and other Forum members aimed at an early return to parliamentary democracy, primarily through the Forum-Fiji Joint Working Group with the Group meeting 30 times before Fiji suspended its participation last month.
The Forum Foreign Affairs Ministerial Contact Group established by Forum Foreign Affairs Ministers at their meeting earlier this year to monitor the progress of Fiji’s preparations for election and the return to democracy visited Fiji last week. The Group’s recommendations will be considered by Forum Leaders in Niue next month.
The two-day Pre-Forum Session of FOC will discuss arrangements for the 39th Forum meeting in Niue next month, regional partnership mechanisms, implementation of the decisions of the 2007 Forum and regional activities under the Biketawa Declarations which includes the Fiji situation and RAMSI.
The meeting will also discuss the new Forum Secretariat Corporate Plan 2008 – 2012, budget, planning and reporting process review, budget and finance systems review and a paper on framework for regional meetings.
The FOC meeting is attended by senior government officials from all Forum members as well as representatives of CROP agencies. The meeting is chaired by Ms Sisilia Talagi, Niue’s High Commissioner to New Zealand.
ENDS.
For more information, contact Johnson Honimae, the Forum Media Officer on phone 679 331 2600 or email johnsonh@forumsec.org.fj
23rd July 2008
POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOLOMON ISLANDS GOV’T AND RAMSI HIGHLIGHTED AT OPENING OF PRE-FORUM FOC SESSION
The positive relationship between the Solomon Islands Government and the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) in the past year has been highlighted at the opening of the Pre-Forum Session of the Forum Officials Committee (FOC), the governing council of the Forum Secretariat, today.
In his statement which highlighted the key activities of the Forum Secretariat in the past year, Acting Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Feleti Teo said: “I am happy to report that 2008 has seen a far more positive relationship between the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, the Solomon Islands Government and some members of the Forum.”
“The new Solomon Islands Government decided to rescind the decision of the previous government to reject the findings of the 2007 RAMSI Review Task Force report endorsed by Leaders’ in Tonga in 2007 and two meetings of the Forum Ministerial Standing Committee comprising Foreign Ministers from Australia, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga,” said Mr Teo.
“A partnership framework between the Solomon Islands Government and RAMSI which will among other things set the strategic direction of RAMSI in coming years and develop jointly agreed conditions and indicative timelines for RAMSI’s phasing down across sectors is also being developed.”
On the situation in Fiji, Mr Teo told the FOC meeting that the Forum continues to promote dialogue between Fiji and other Forum members aimed at an early return to parliamentary democracy, primarily through the Forum-Fiji Joint Working Group with the Group meeting 30 times before Fiji suspended its participation last month.
The Forum Foreign Affairs Ministerial Contact Group established by Forum Foreign Affairs Ministers at their meeting earlier this year to monitor the progress of Fiji’s preparations for election and the return to democracy visited Fiji last week. The Group’s recommendations will be considered by Forum Leaders in Niue next month.
The two-day Pre-Forum Session of FOC will discuss arrangements for the 39th Forum meeting in Niue next month, regional partnership mechanisms, implementation of the decisions of the 2007 Forum and regional activities under the Biketawa Declarations which includes the Fiji situation and RAMSI.
The meeting will also discuss the new Forum Secretariat Corporate Plan 2008 – 2012, budget, planning and reporting process review, budget and finance systems review and a paper on framework for regional meetings.
The FOC meeting is attended by senior government officials from all Forum members as well as representatives of CROP agencies. The meeting is chaired by Ms Sisilia Talagi, Niue’s High Commissioner to New Zealand.
ENDS.
For more information, contact Johnson Honimae, the Forum Media Officer on phone 679 331 2600 or email johnsonh@forumsec.org.fj
