Peters’ Pacific Mission kicks off in Honiara with country’s new government.
New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters paid a courtesy call on the newly elected Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Jeremiah Manele in Honiara on Sunday.
Peters was in the Solomons capital with a delegation of MPs and officials as part of a four-country visit to the Pacific.
Manele, who was previously the Minister of Foreign Affairs, was sworn in as leader following the country’s general election last month.
He replaced controversial former Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, who elected not to contest the leadership despite winning his seat and his party returning to power.
DPM Peters says he is privileged to meet the new PM and members of his cabinet.
“New Zealand has deep and long-standing relationships across the region, and this trip will provide the opportunity to reaffirm these connections and demonstrate our bipartisan commitment to our key Pacific partners,” Peters says.
After bilateral talks the leaders exchanged gifts and Prime Minister Manele was given a Wellington Phoenix football jersey that had his name on it.
Minister Peters is accompanied on this visit by Pacific Peoples & Health Minister Shane Reti; Climate Change Minister Simon Watts; Foreign, Defence & Trade Committee Chair Tim van de Molen; and Opposition Foreign Affairs Spokesperson David Parker.
“This meeting was a welcome opportunity to discuss the new Solomon Islands Government’s priorities for its first 100 days in office, and New Zealand’s development partnership with Solomon Islands spanning priority areas including critical infrastructure, education, governance and economic reform,” Peters says.
“Today’s brief visit to Honiara was the first of a range of high-level engagement planned between New Zealand and Solomon Islands in coming months.”
Peters’ trip will also take in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Tuvalu.
