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Updated June 25th, 2022 at 08:39 IST

EAM Jaishankar meets Solomon Islands counterpart, discusses collaboration in key sectors

Indian External Affairs Minister, Dr. S Jaishankar met with the Foreign Minister of Solomon Islands Jeremiah Manele on Friday in Rwanda's Kigali

Reported by: Anwesha Majumdar
Jaishankar
Image: Twitter/ @DrSJaishankar | Image:self
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As part of a four-day visit to attend the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar met with the Foreign Minister of Solomon Islands, Jeremiah Manele on Friday in Rwanda's Kigali to address and discuss the bilateral collaboration in crucial areas. Informing about the discussion, Jaishankar wrote in a tweet, “Met FM Jeremiah Manele of the Solomon Islands at @CHOGM2022. Discussed cooperation in energy, IT, and agriculture."  

It is pertinent to note that Jaishankar is in Kigali, Rwanda from June 22 to 25, where he is attending the 26th CHOGM. At the summit on June 24–25, he has been representing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, PTI reported. 

In addition to this, EAM Jaishankar previously spoke with his Rwandan counterpart to discuss bilateral relations between India and the African country. He also visited Raychelle Omamo, the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Kenya, to address the consequences of the ongoing Ukraine war, which includes the security of food, fuel, and fertiliser. 

With Namibia's Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi Ndaitwah, the EAM also explored opportunities in fintech and biodiversity. During the discussions between the two leaders, expanding collaboration in the fields of health, IT, defence, and education was also addressed. 

Besides this, on Thursday, June 23, Jaishankar met with several of his Commonwealth counterparts to discuss pertinent global challenges and how to further advance bilateral cooperation. Jaishankar visited his peers from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Canada, Tanzania, Rwanda, New Zealand, South Africa, Brunei, Tuvalu, Singapore, the Bahamas, Guyana, and other members of the 54-nation bloc at the summit of the CHOGM for foreign ministers. 

India-Soloman Islands ties

In the year 1978, the South Pacific Island nation of Solomon Islands became independent. In May 1987, India established diplomatic ties with the nation. Since 2003, the Solomon Islands has maintained an official consulate in New Delhi, ANI reported.  

Through the India-United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Fund, India has helped the Solomon Islands with the purchase of medical supplies and equipment as well as with building their health systems in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. India has even supplied 24,000 doses of vaccine to the Solomon Islands, through the Covax facility, as part of the "Vaccine Maitri" project. 

According to an ANI report, in global forums like the Commonwealth, Non-Aligned Movement, as well as United Nations, India and Solomon Islands are closely cooperating and supporting one another. In 2020, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was reached to create the Centre of Excellence in IT (CEIT) in Honiara. A shipment including Indian medications and medical supplies was dispatched to the Solomon Islands in October 2021 as part of a grant-in-aid of USD 1 million from the India-UN Development Partnership Fund to assist the Solomon Islands in its fight against COVID. 

(Image: Twitter/ @DrSJaishankar)

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Published June 25th, 2022 at 08:39 IST

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