FOREIGN
RELATIONS
Countries
with diplomatic missions in the Solomon Islands are Australia,
United Kingdom, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Japan. The
Solomon Islands also has diplomatic relations with the Republic
of China, which has a resident representative in Honiara.
The U.S.
Ambassador resident in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, also is
accredited to Solomon Islands. The Solomon Islands' Permanent
Representative to the United Nations also is accredited as its
ambassador to the United States and Canada.
Relations
with Papua New Guinea, which had become strained because of an
influx of refugees from the Bougainville rebellion and attacks
on the northern islands of the Solomon Islands by elements pursuing
Bougainvillean rebels, have been repaired. A peace accord on Bougainville
confirmed in 1998 has removed the armed threat, and the two nations
regularized border operations in a 2004 agreement.
Membership
in International Organizations
Solomon Islands is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth,
South Pacific Commission, South Pacific Forum, International Monetary
Fund, and the European Economic Community/African, Caribbean,
Pacific Group (EEC/ACP)/(Lome Convention).
U.S.-SOLOMON
ISLANDS RELATIONS
The United States and Solomon Islands established diplomatic relations
following its independence on July 7, 1978. U.S. representation
is handled by the United States Embassy at Port Moresby where
the Ambassador is resident. In recognition of the close ties forged
between the United States and the people of the Solomon Islands
during World War II, the U.S. Congress financed the construction
of the Solomon Islands Parliament building. There are approximately
95 American citizens residing permanently in Solomon Islands.
The two nations belong to a variety of regional organizations, including the Pacific Community and the Pacific Regional Environmental Program. The United States and Solomon Islands also cooperate under the U.S.-Pacific Islands multilateral Tuna Fisheries Treaty, under which the U.S. grants $18 million per year to Pacific island parties and the latter provide access to U.S. fishing vessels.
The U.S. coast guard provides training to Solomon Islands border protection officers, and the U.S. military also provides appropriate military education and training courses to national security officials.
The U.S.
Peace Corps suspended its program in June 2000 due to the ethnic
violence and breakdown in governance. More than 70 volunteers,
serving throughout the country in rural community development,
education, environmental management, and youth programs, were
evacuated.
U.S. trade
with Solomon Islands is very limited. In 2001 U.S. exports to
Solomon Islands were less than 5% of all exports, while Solomon
Islands exports to the United States in that year were negligible.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) contributes to the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) focused on preserving coral reefs, fisheries, and food security. Solomon Islands is one of six CTI countries.
Following the April 2, 2007 earthquake and tsunami, the United States provided
$250,000 in humanitarian assistance grants and deployed the USNS Stockham with
helicopter support to the affected area. In February 2009, the United States
provided $50,000 in humanitarian assistance following severe flooding on the
islands of Guadalcanal and Malaita.
Principal U.S. Embassy Officials
Ambassador--Teddy Taylor
Deputy Chief of Mission--Paul Berg
Consular Agent--Ms. Keithie Saunders (office phone 677 24123/23426 or mobile 677 94731)
American Embassy Port Moresby is located on Douglas Street, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, P.O. Box 1492, Port Moresby (tel: (675) 321-1455; fax: (675) 321-3423). The Embassy maintains a web site dedicated to Solomon Islands at http://www.usvpp-solomonislands.org/
