The Solomon Islands Government will send a 13 member delegation to represent the country at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York later this month.
The gathering of World Leaders and Officials will start in the middle of this month and will conclude in early October.
Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Manasseh Maelanga will lead the Solomon Islands Delegation which leaves the country on September 20 and will return on the first week of October.
Members of the delegation who will accompany Honorable Maelanga include Ministers and Officials drawn from relevant ministries who will be involved in important engagements during the meeting.
The Ministers include the Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade Hon. Clay Forau Soalaoi, Minister of National Planning and Aid Coordination Hon. Connelly Sandakabatu, Minister of Environment, Conservation, Meteorology and Climate Change Hon. Bradley Tovosia, Minister of Police National Security and Correctional Services Hon. Christopher Laore and Minister of National Unity, Peace and Reconciliation Hon. Hypolite Taremae.
Government Officials in the delegation include the Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs Mrs Joy Kere, Permanent Secretary of Environment, Conservation, Meteorology and Climate Change Mr. Melchior Mataki, Mrs Georgina Forau, Mr. Walter Diamana, UN Branch, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kennedy Gwao, Protocol Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. George Kwaimani, Office of the Prime Minister and Mr. George Herming, Government Communication Unit (PMO).
The Deputy Prime Minister as head of delegation will present the Solomon Islands Country Statement during the general debate of the 68th session of the General Assembly.
During the weeklong meeting, Minister Tovosia and Minister Sandakabatu will represent Solomon Islands at the High Level Forum on Sustainable Development which also covers climate change issues. The Ministers’ and the Permanent Secretary for Environment will later attend the Informal Ministerial Climate Change Roundtable meeting organized by the European Union on September 26.
Ministers’ Chris Laore and Hypolite Taremae will both attend the High Level Meeting on Nuclear and Weapons Disarmament while Minister Clay Forau, his Permanent Secretary and Assistant Secretary (Ag) of the UN Branch will attend to Bilateral Meetings at the sidelines of the UNGA and the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers meeting on September 26.
Minister Forau will also attend sessions during the General Assembly debates as well as representing the country at the signing of any upcoming treaties during the period. Mr Kennedy Gwao is responsible for all protocol affairs; Mr George Kwaimani will be responsible for Logistics and other movements and George Herming will be in charge of media liaison and other related matters.
Under protocol, the Head of Delegation may require traveling with his or her spouse for the purpose of ceremonies and courtesy and in the event the Head of Delegation’s spouse is absent, the Foreign Minister will do so with his or her spouse.
In terms of funding for the delegation, airfares for the Head of Delegation and Ministers with the exception of Minister Tovosia and his Permanent Secretary are funded by the United Nations. Minister Tovosia and his Permanent Secretary’s participation are funded by the European Union. Other associated costs for the Head of Delegation and accompanying Ministers are funded by the Solomon Islands Government.
Airfares and other associated costs for Officials are funded by the Solomon Islands Government as part of our international obligation towards attending the General Assembly as a member country of the United Nations.
Source: Press Release, Government Communications Unit