The Foreign Minister of the Republic of Indonesia, Her Excellency Retno Marsudi, arrives today in Honiara for a one-day visit.
This visit is purposely to officially handover the Multipurpose Futsal Stadium Friendship Hall that was funded by the Indonesian Government and constructed by the WIKA Construction Company of Indonesia.
During the day long visit, Her Excellency will have a bilateral meeting with her counter-part, the Foreign Minister, Hon. Jeremiah Manele (MP), followed by a courtesy call to the Prime Minister, Hon. Manasseh D. Sogavare.
The visiting Indonesian Foreign Minister and Hon. Jeremiah Manele (MP), will also formalize the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Visa Exemption between the Republic of Indonesia and Solomon Islands, during their bilateral meeting.
Solomon Islands and Indonesia established diplomatic relations on the 28th of July 1983. Relations have been cordial for the most part, but in 2016 during the United Nations General Assembly, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare alleged human rights violations in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua. He also pushed for the independence of the said province together with Vanuatu, Nauru, the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Tonga.
Indonesia strongly rejected this accusation and accused these countries of interfering with its domestic affairs and Indonesia's national sovereignty.
Solomon Islands has opened their embassy in Jakarta since August 2014, while Indonesian embassy in Port Moresby is also accredited to Solomon Islands.