PRIME Minister (PM) Jeremiah Manele and his delegation who attended the 12th Edition of the World Government Summit (WGS) held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), arrived back in the country on Sunday.
This is the first overseas engagement of Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele for this year and the first time for Solomon Islands to participate in the WGS.
Upon his arrival, PM Manele highlighted several key plenary sessions, bilateral engagements and multiple dialogues with participants.
PM Manele was invited by the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the people of UAE.
His attendance at the WGS signals the growing importance of Solomon Islands Government’s diplomatic relations with other countries, in particular with the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
“This is my first overseas engagement in 2025. My attendance at the World Government Summit in Dubai signals the growing importance of our diplomatic relations with our countries, in particular with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
“I am pleased to speak to the outcome of the summit and association bilateral meetings that I had in Dubai.
“First of all, I wish to acknowledge His Highness Sheikh bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, ruler of Dubai and the government and people of the UAE for inviting me to participate in the 12th Edition of the World Government Summit.
“I wish to acknowledge the support provided by the government of the United Arab Emirates to assist my delegation with travel, accommodation in Dubai and on-ground support during my visit,” he said.
PM Manele’s attendance enabled him to not only participate in several summit sessions, but also allowed him to hold several important and rewarding bilateral meetings at the margins.
He highlighted that the government of UAE met all the airfares and costs in Dubai for him and his entire delegation.
He the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) only met the upgrade of four air tickets, transit expenses in Brisbane and per diem for him and members of his delegation.
The World Government Summit was established in 2013 by the government of the UAE.
The WGS provides a platform where world leaders convene to discuss strategies and seek solutions to address global issues and challenges and undertake transformation reforms and achieve sustainable development progress and prosperity for all countries.
The theme for the summit is “Shaping Future Governments”.
More than 30 heads of state and government, over 80 international organisations, 140 government delegations and 6,000 participants, including leading global experts, attended the summit.
The 12th edition of the WGS focuses on six key areas of effective governance and accountability, financing the future and the global economy, climate, crisis mitigation and resilient cities; human-centric futures and capacity-building, global health transformations and emerging frontiers and the future.
In several other sessions, PM Manele was asked to speak at the plenary session on climate crisis mitigation and resilient cities on the topic “Preparedness versus response: How effective are our government strategies as well as at the tourism round table.”
PM Manele’s delegation included the Minister of National Planning and Development Coordination, Rexon Ramofafia, Chairman of the Bina Harbour Sub-Cabinet Committee and Member of Parliament for West Kwaio, Claudius Teiifi, Secretary to the Prime Minister – Special Duties, Sir Dr Jimmie Rodgers, the outgoing Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Planning and Development Coordination and Incoming Secretary to the Prime Minister (SPM) Dr Melchior Mataki, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Dr Christian Ramofafia and protocol, press and security officers.
By LACHLAN SHYVES EDDIE
Solomon Star, Honiara
