Prime Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare has left for Port Vila to sign a historic Maritime Boundary Treaty with his Ni-Vanuatu counterpart, Prime Minister Charlot Salwai.

The signing of the treaty came about after 32 years of negotiations between Solomon Islands and the Republic of Vanuatu.

The two Prime Minister’s will sign the document on Moto Lava Island in Vanuatu’s Northern-most Province of Torba come Friday 7 October 2016.

The signing of the Treaty will succeed the Memorandum of Settlement signed between the two countries in November 2015. Both countries will further proceed with formalising their internal processes before ratifying the Treaty in the near future. However this signing will pave way for further bilateral engagements between these two Melanesian Countries.

The proposed signing ceremony will be a traditional event blended with full Government protocols and diplomatic arrangements, preceded by a one-day Traditional Arts Festival.

The Vanuatu Government will meet the travelling expenses for Prime Minister Sogavare and his delegation from Port Vila to Moto Lava Island as well as their accommodation on Moto Lava Island.

Prime Minister Sogavare’s delegation will include his spouse madam Sogavare, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Hon Milner Tozaka, Minister for Mines and Energy, Hon David Day Pacha, Minister for Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening, Hon David Tome, Minister for Women, Youth and Children’s Affairs, Hon Freda Tuki, Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Fiji and Vanuatu, His Excellency Patteson Oti, Premier of Temotu Province, Hon Nelson Omar Menale and 14 Government officials.

Press Release: OPMC