Australia and European Union have pledged commitment to ensure Solomon Islands achieve the objectives of the Solomon Islands National Development Strategy, NDS.
In a media conference Australian Deputy High Commissioner Doctor Dave Pebbles, and European Union Ambassador to Solomon Islands, PNG and Vanuatu Doctor Martin Dihm, said Australia and the European Union want to cooperate with the Government to promote a peaceful and prosperous Solomon Islands.Dr. Pebbles said, to honour its commitment, the Australian Government is providing over AU$260 million dollars in bilateral aid to Solomon Islands.
Meanwhile, representing the European Union, Dr. Martin Dihm assures Solomon Islands of EU's assistance worth EU$120 million dollars to support the Solomon Islands Government achieve the fundamentals of the National Development Strategy.
The pledge from Australia and EU came about after the Solomon Islands Government and its development partners held high level consultation meetings in Honiara last week.
A statement from the Planning Ministry says the meeting was organized to build consensus and to reinforce collaboration between the government and its development partners to implement the Solomon Islands National Development Strategy 2011-2020.
The consultations included presentations from the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance the Ministry of Development and Director of Strategic Planning Division and the Permanent Secretary of Infrastructure development among others.
The meeting also acknowledged that the newly launched National Development Strategy sets out the national roadmap for achievement of development aspirations of people in the country.
The government and its development partners also agreed to intensify mutual collaboration for the purpose of the meeting's theme - "serving Solomon Islands through inclusive development better coordination and genuine partnership."