Solomon Islands Engagement with the European Union

Solomon Islands Foreign Policy is guarded by the following broad objectives:

  1. Promote democracy and respect for human rights, and contribute to effective global governance and international security.
  2. Collaborate effectively with the UN and development partners in attaining the existing Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Solomon Islands.
  3. Enhance engagements and strengthen partnerships with international organisations and donor partners.
  4. Enhance and Strengthen engagement and partnership with the EU.
  5. Explore greater opportunities through South-South relations – building on existing regional frameworks.
  6. Improve management of bilateral cooperation and border issues.
  7. Establish bilateral Technical Cooperation partnerships.

To get more information please visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade website.

Solomon Islands-EU Relations

Solomon Islands and the European Union have a long-standing relationship based on common values of cooperation, economic and trade relations to foster development.

On a multilateral setting, Solomon Islands engages with the European Union through the Organization of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).

The OACPS-EU framework for relations is guarded by the Cotonou Agreement, signed in the year 2000 and is due to expire by December 2020. Currently negotiations are ongoing to finalize a new EU-OACPS Partnership Agreement to deepen the two parties’ cooperation for the next 20 years. It is expected the new agreement will be finalized by December 2020.

Through the Cotonou Agreement, Solomon Islands-EU bilateral cooperation is supported by EU 11th European Development Fund (11TH EDF). The 11th EDF supports various sectors of development cooperation and priorities, including education, vocational education and training, Agriculture, Forestry, Rural Development, Fisheries, Security, Good Governance, Civil Society, Private Sector, Renewable Energy and Climate Change.