𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐣𝐢 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

>𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙡𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙁𝙞𝙟𝙞 𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙡-𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙎𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝙄𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨' 𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙜𝙖𝙥𝙨, 𝙨𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜, "𝙒𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙚, 𝙬𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙁𝙞𝙟𝙞 𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙡."

HONIARA, Solomon Islands, (9 September 2025) - The Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Hon. Jeremiah Manele MP, and the Prime Minister of Fiji, Hon. Sitiveni Rabuka, have signed a bilateral agreement for the deployment of Fijian security personnel to Solomon Islands.

At the signing ceremony on the sidelines of the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Summit in Honiara on Tuesday, both leaders hailed the agreement as a testament to the enduring and growing relations between the two Melanesian neighbours.

"We are connected by the Pacific Ocean, Culture, and our Shared History," Prime Minister Manele said, highlighting the deepening relations between the two Melanesian countries.

Mr. Manele acknowledged the long-standing ties between the two nations, including Fijian missionaries and soldiers who have served in Solomon Islands during pre-colonial times and World War II, and during the recent social unrest events.

“Fijian missionaries have worked in parts of the Solomon Islands, who have served in the colonial days. The deployment of Fijian soldiers goes back to World War II; some have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Solomon Islands pays tribute to them for their service,” Manele said.

Prime Minister Manele noted that Fiji is well-placed to fill Solomon Islands' national critical security gaps, saying, "We hope and pray we will not trigger the Agreement, but should the need arise, we have placed Fiji on our speed dial."

The agreement aligns with the Biketawa and Boe Declarations and reflects Solomon Islands' security strategy of broadening partnerships and deepening relations with Melanesian neighbours.

“This agreement aligns with the ‘Biketawa and Boe Declarations. Given Solomon Islands' special situation as a post-conflict country, we have adopted a security strategy of broadening our security partnerships and deepening our security relations with our Melanesian Wantoks to support national and regional stability,” Prime Minister Manele said.

The signing ceremony, held against the backdrop of a traditional canoe (The Tepuke) and a symbol of peace, highlights the shared blue Pacific identity and commitment to peace, progress, and prosperity, and the importance of cooperation between the two nations.

Ends///.

Full story is also on the link⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

https://sbm.sb/𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐧-𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬-𝐚𝐧/

MSG AT PACIFIC REGIONAL & NATIONAL SECURITY MEET

SUVA, FIJI (14 July 2025): The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) is currently part of the Pacific Regional and National Security Conference at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, a three-day gathering of the region’s security experts, academic, political, business and civil society representatives, including regional and national officials. 

Organised by the Australian National University’s Pacific Security College, the conference was opened by Fiji’s Prime Minister, Hon. Sitiveni Rabuka and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa. 

Discussions as part of Pacific Peace, Security and Defence; Climate Security; and Partnerships, in support of the Ocean of Peace concept, included the need for more collaboration within the Blue Pacific, clarity in partnerships to best align support to Pacific priorities, good governance and mutual respect, among others.

The MSG Secretariat is represented by Acting Director General, Ilan Kiloe; Security Advisor, Ilaitia Caginavanua and Media & Communications Officer, Ana Tudrau-Tamani.

Solomons' Prime Minister blasts Australia over criticism about policing deal with Beijing

On the program today:

Solomon Islands has accused Australia of interference over concerns about the country's new policing pact with China.

For 16 years Frank Bainimarama ruled Fiji but this week the former prime minister will be looking on from behind the dock as he stands trial for perverting the course of justice and abuse of office.

The iconic bilum bag is a symbol of Papua New Guinea that is recognised around the world, a new book aims to promote understanding the bag's unique design.

The Pacific will be represented at a hockey world cup with Both Fiji's men's and women's hockey5s teams, claiming bronze at the Oceania Cup qualifiers.

A dance troupe of deaf and hearing-impaired dancers from Indigenous communities in northern Australia are proving you don't have to hear the music, to feel it.

Credits

Agnes Tupou, Presenter

UPNG STUDENTS PROTEST & CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY ON THE PROPOSED US/PNG DEFENCE COOPERATION AGREEMENT

Students at the University of Papua New Guinea staged a sit-in protest at the University Forum Square as early as 7am this morning.

They protest against the proposed Defence Cooperation Agreement that is scheduled for signing this afternoon.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken is already in the country to sign Defence Corporation Agreement and Shiprider Agreement with PNG.

The students raised grievances that the proposed Agreements between PNG and the United States concern national security and its content must be made known for public scrutiny and transparency before signing takes place. 

However, Prime Minister James Marape had said earlier that the agreements to be signed are transparent.

Marape added that not all agreements signed should be presented to Parliament earlier. He said the country's State Solicitor who represents PNG's legal checks and balances has been with this every step of the way and has given the clearance on this matter representing the laws of this country. Marape said as soon as it is stable for transparency the country will be privy to those agreements as we table in Parliament.

''I just wish to assure everyone, that Parliament will be privy to what we are about to sign and at the moment our Foreign Affairs team has been leading the negotiations and we are at the stage where we are almost there for signing.

''I want to give assurance to our country, it is nothing to be sceptical about,'' said Marape.

Marape further elaborated that similar agreements and cooperation have been reached with other countries and we can reach out to other bilateral partners with similar agreements as stipulated in the Constitution as well as the country's foreign policy-''Friends to All and Enemies to Non''.

 The US and PNG already have a Status of Forces Agreement or SOFA. A status of forces agreement (SOFA) is an agreement between a host country and a foreign nation stationing military forces in that country. SOFAs are often included, along with other types of military agreements, as part of a comprehensive security arrangement.

Marape briefly stated that the SOFA agreement does allow for Defence Corporations with the US and others and those have been the blanket in which operations of other forces have been engaged up till this pointing time and PNG is just elevating this specific with the USA.

Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso also clarified that once the agreement is agreed by the NEC and signed off by the Prime Minister and Defence minister it will be brought before Parliament and discussed in Parliament before it becomes law.

Finance Minister Rainbo Paita on behalf of the Government addressed the students at the UPNG Forum Square and received the petition presented by the Student Representative Council President, Luther Kising.

Other Tertiary Institution's student bodies such as the University of Technology have also protested against the Defence Cooperation Agreements.

Meanwhile, there is a high presence of Police personnel at the entrance to the UPNG preventing further escalation of the protest.

NBC News PNG- Stella Martin/Rose Amos