After a few exchanges and initial engagements, Solomon Islands' application through the Speaker of the National Parliament to be a member of the Pacific Islands Parliaments Group (PIPG), has finally been signed within the margins of the PIPG technical meeting from October 5 and 6, 2022 in Papeete, Tahiti.
Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee (FRC), Hon Peter Kenilorea Jnr signed on behalf of the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands under the chairmanship of Mr. Gaston Tong Sang, Speaker of the Assembly of French Polynesia.
The Solomon Islands is now the 17th member of this new flora for Parliamentary Democracy. According to Hon Kenilorea, “we need this kind of inter-parliamentary group, as it is a space where different Parliaments get to share their experience, both negative and positive, and learn from each other.
He also emphasized that Solomon Islands Parliament is attracted to this Group because it’s made up of only regional countries and territories”.
The Conference of the Pacific Island Parliamentary Group (PIPG) was first held in Papeete in 2019, from that meeting the Taraho'i Declaration – Pact for the blue economy was adopted unanimously and urging member parliaments to act in accordance with 16 commitments.
PIPG exchanges are structured around five themes:
Theme 1 - Plastic materials
Theme 2 - Waste treatment
Theme 3 - Optimization of resources
Theme 4 - Fishing: management of areas and illegal fishing
Theme 5 - Low-carbon transport
In agreeing to the terms of the Statutes of the Pacific Islands Parliaments Group. The National Parliament is obliged to provide oversight and follow up on measures taken by the Executive government on the above themes and to report back to PIPG on how Parliament has assisted in the implementing of measures within the themes.
Tonga will be the next host for the third technical meeting of the PIPG. Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee (FRC), Hon Peter Kenilorea Jnr, Hon Sammy Galo (FRC member), and Mr. Whitmon Tabiru (FRC Secretary) attended the meeting.