Solomon Islands PM Jeremiah Manele (front, centre) during a visit to Brisbane in June. Photo: Reginald Ramos/DFAT.
Australia has agreed to a $190m four-year deal to boost Solomon Islands Police to reduce the Pacific Island nation’s dependency on China.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the deal includes a new police training centre in Honiara as well as funding and training.
The deal is part of the federal government’s efforts to curtail China’s growing influence in the region.
“The support responds to Solomon Islands’ strong desire to build an enduring sovereign security capability, thereby reducing its reliance on external partners over time,” Albanese says.
“We have agreement with the Solomon Islands; part of that is making sure that Australia remains the security partner of choice,” he told journalists in Canberra.
Solomons has had a Chinese police presence since 2022, currently numbering at 14, although PM Jeremiah Manele said in May that his government would review policing ties.
“We expect that, as a result of this agreement, is make sure that Australia remains a security partner of choice, as Prime Minister Manele has said,” Albanese says.
“This investment over four years will be guided by the Solomon Islands’ priorities. This partnership will strengthen the Solomon Islands’ domestic security (and) also enhance its ability to contribute to regional stability,” Albanese said.
He says that the two countries have more than 40 years security co-operation between Solomon Islands and Australia, spanning policing, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, defence, border and cyber security.
Australian police provided security after 2021 anti-government riots in Honiara as well as from 2003-17 at the Island’s nation’s request.
Albanese says a stronger police force is the first in a three-tier security support deal signed in June; the second tier of support would be from Melanesian countries and thirdly from members of the Pacific Islands Forum.
The PM also said Australia had just signed deals with Tuvalu, Nauru and PNG that will give it a say in these countries pursing security deals with countries like China.
