Honiara, 14 September 2026 – The GREAT Coalition has set an ambitious target to create 25,000 new jobs over the next four years, with Minister of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration Hon. Harry Kuma warning that economic growth is no longer optional.
Officially opening the National Business Forum 2026 today in Honiara, Minister Kuma said jobs are the foundation for national peace and identity, especially for Solomon Islands’ rapidly growing young population.
“Every single year, tens of thousands of our young people exit primary, secondary and tertiary education looking for opportunity. To absorb them, economic growth is not optional – it is mandatory,” Minister Kuma told business leaders.
Minister Kuma said the Government is determined to improve the country’s investment climate, revealing that Solomon Islands still ranks low at 136 out of 190 countries on the Ease of Doing Business Index with a score of 55 out of 100.
He said the GREAT Coalition’s priority is to raise this ranking by reforming laws, streamlining processes, and removing bureaucratic roadblocks.
The Minister placed 10 key recommendations from last year’s inaugural Business Forum squarely before this year’s participants, including addressing high energy costs that are driving up the cost of doing business, the urgent need to protect and empower Indigenous entrepreneurs, encouraging small businesses in the massive informal sector to transition into the formal sector, strengthening the lending capacity of state-owned financial institutions, urging commercial banks to understand SMEs as unique customers, questioning digital financial cost structures including platforms like M-Selen, empowering youth, delivering targeted support for women entrepreneurs, deepening the three-way partnership between the business community, the Government and academic institutions such as SINU, and solidifying the National Business Forum as an annual or bi-annual event.
“My charge to this room is simple: Do not leave this forum with a list of complaints. Leave this forum with practical, executable solutions,” Minister Kuma challenged.
“The Ministry is listening. The GREAT Coalition and Government are ready. The solutions you design today will directly influence the policies and regulations we deploy moving forward.”
The National Business Forum was established under Cabinet approval on 9 July 2025 in partnership with the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI). Last year’s theme was “Partnership and Innovation for Resilience: Adapting to a Changing Economy”.
While the 2026 NBF has no specific theme, Minister Kuma said it continues the 2025 momentum, focusing on partnerships and solving the issues already raised.
He concluded with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: “The future depends on what we do in the present.”
BY JOSES SAREN
Beyond installing 161 towers, the Solomon Islands National Broadband Infrastructure Project (SINBIP) has created 10,000 local jobs and trained 170 technicians.
This included hands-on training courses focused on communication operation and maintenance and eight special training sessions held to cultivate the local technical workforce.
The project was carried through collaboration between China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), Huawei, the Solomon Islands Ministry of Communication and Aviation (MCA), and Solomon Tower Company Ltd (STL).
China Harbour Engineering Company’s (CHEC) South Pacific Division Managing Director, Chen Wei and Chinese Ambassador Cai Weiming confirmed the details at the July 31 handover ceremony.
The project also established permanent technical support in the country. Huawei provided cutting-edge digital equipment for the network and stationed a permanent team of specialists to deliver full lifecycle technical services.
China Harbour Engineering Company has operated in the Solomon Islands since 2019. Over nearly eight years, the company has established a localised system for construction, compliance, and maintenance. CHEC previously completed major local infrastructure projects, including the Suava Bridge and the Munda Airport runway upgrade.
Chen Wei described SINBIP as a landmark concessional loan project following the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the Solomon Islands. It also marks China Harbour’s first national-level digital infrastructure project in the country.
The project was delivered as a public-private partnership involving two governments, CHEC, Huawei, and Solomon Telekom Company Limited. To manage the infrastructure long-term, the Solomon Islands Government created a new state-owned enterprise called Solomon Tower Limited in 2024.
China Harbour committed to providing ongoing warranty support and rapid fault response alongside MCA and Huawei. Chen Wei expressed readiness to deepen future cooperation in transport, digital infrastructure, and public works.
For feedback, contact: josessaren@gmail.com
Editor: irwin3angiki@gmail.com
Independent Group backs parliamentary oversight of treaties, citing Ship Rider Agreement and foreign policy transparency HONIARA, SOLOMON ISLANDS – The Independent Group welcomes the thoughtful contributions by Dr. Transform Aqorau and Dr. Joseph Foukona to the national discussion on the Solomon Islands–United States Ship Rider Agreement. Their legal and policy perspectives have enriched an important [...]
The post INDEPENDENT GROUP CLARIFIES POSITION ON THE SOLOMON ISLANDS – UNITED STATES SHIP RIDER AGREEMENT appeared first on Tavuli News (Solomon Islands) .
独立小组支持对条约的议会监督,引用船员协议和外交政策透明度。霍尼亚拉,所罗门群岛 – 独立小组欢迎Dr. Transform Aqorau和Dr. Joseph Foukona对所罗门群岛-美国船员协议的国家讨论所做的深思熟虑的贡献。他们的法律和政策观点丰富了这一重要......
该文章首次发布在Tavuli News(所罗门群岛)上。
BY JOSES SAREN
The Solomon Islands Australia Alumni Association (SIAAA) is organising a face-to-face networking event to connect its members directly with employers who are hiring, as part of a new push to help recent graduates and job seekers find work.
According to a statement from SIAAA, the association is “bringing employers to” alumni rather than leaving job seekers to guess what the market wants, giving them the chance to ask potential employers directly.
The statement said SIAAA is collecting input from alumni through an online survey to ensure the employers invited match members’ qualifications and backgrounds.
The Career Connect Initial Survey, open now, asks alumni who have recently graduated from university or undertaken further study to share details of their qualifications and job search needs.
Alumni can complete the survey at https://forms.gle/fpEJkFKGqCaU2EWF6 , or visit their Facebook page to find the link and SIAAA is encouraging members to share it with fellow alumni who are job hunting.
Further details on the date, venue and participating employers are yet to be announced.
For more information, contact SIAAA at siaaa.executive@gmail.com .
For feedback, contact: josessaren@gmail.com
Editor: irwin3angiki@gmail.com
Vacancy Notice
Applications are invited from suitably qualified and experienced persons for the following vacant positions within the Ministry of Finance and Treasury - Inland Revenue Division.
See attachment for more or click here for job description and other forms https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/...
