BY NED GAGAHE
Parliament has formally authorised the Speaker of the National Parliament to act as a signatory to the draft Statutes of the Pacific Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (PIPA), a move hailed as a significant step in strengthening regional parliamentary cooperation.
The motion was moved by the Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, the Member of Parliament for East Are’Are Peter Kenilorea Jnr, in Parliament on Friday, August 15, 2025.
Parliament gave its mandate through unopposed endorsement.
The motion sought the approval of Parliament to resolve to authorize the Speaker of Parliament to be a signatory to the statute of PIPA.
The draft statutes, tabled as National Parliament Paper No. 14 of 2025, are the result of extensive work by the Pacific Islands Parliamentary Group (PIPG) and a technical committee that included the Speaker.
Speaking in support of the motion, Mr Kenilorea said the endorsement carries both symbolic and substantive weight, and represents a new chapter for Pacific Islands parliamentary collaboration.
“It affirms our commitment to regionalism, parliamentary diplomacy, and the values that unite us as parliamentarians in this large ocean, the Blue Continent,” he said.
The PIPA statutes set out a framework for inter-parliamentary dialogue, cooperation, and capacity building among national and sub-national legislatures across the Pacific.
Key provisions include membership and observer arrangements, governance structures, rules of procedure, budget contributions, partnerships with regional and international organisations, and transitional arrangements as the assembly evolves into a treaty-based body.
Kenilorea said that Solomon Islands will contribute USD 15,000 annually as part of tier two member contributions, and highlighted that the PIPA statutes are aligned with Pacific regional values such as human rights, good governance, and sustainable development.
The motion received wide support across the House, with MPs recognising the importance of formalising Solomon Islands’ participation in this regional initiative.
It also paves the way for the adoption of the statutes at the Fifth Annual Conference of the Pacific Islands Parliamentary Group, scheduled for August 26–29, 2025 in Fiji.
“The authorisation is not merely administrative. It is a declaration of trust in the Speaker as the institutional representative and a recognition of the importance of the Solomon Islands Parliament being formally aligned with this regional initiative,” Mr. Kenilorea said.
The move positions Solomon Islands as an active participant in shaping regional governance and parliamentary diplomacy, reinforcing the country’s leadership role in promoting a united, resilient, and empowered Blue Pacific.
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