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Government officials confirm opening of new diplomatic missions in India and UAE as Honiara pushes forward with its ‘Look North’ policy
The Solomon Islands is opening new diplomatic missions to India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in an apparent new move in the country’s “Look North” policy.
Colin Baker, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, confirmed the move to Solomon Star after a press conference in Honiara yesterday.
Solomon Islands’ foreign policy in 2008 was described by the Solomon Islands Government as a “Look North” policy aimed at “strengthening diplomatic and economic relations with Asian countries for development purposes”.
Permanent Secretary Baker’s confirmation of the two new missions comes as Solomon Islands prepares to appoint a new ambassador to the People’s Republic of China this year.
“Work has begun on the establishment of a permanent High Commission of the Solomon Islands in India,” Mr Baker said.
“We have also opened a new mission in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which will focus on trade,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary also confirmed that the Solomon Islands embassy in Cuba is closing.
“It hasn’t fully closed, but closing the embassy is being considered,” Mr Baker said when asked about the move.
It is understood that the Solomon Islands’ first and only ambassador to Cuba, Simon Burrow, will be recalled. It is unclear whether Solomon Islands will continue to send students to Cuba for medical training.
It is also understood that Ambassador Bro’s name is on the shortlist for the post of ambassador in Beijing, but this has not been officially confirmed.
Solomon Islands formally established diplomatic relations with the Republic of Cuba in 2002, and signed a cooperation agreement in 2007 for Cuban doctors to work in Solomon Islands and for Solomon Islands medical students to come to Cuba for training.
According to published reports, more than 90 students have graduated by September 2021.
“I would like to express my deep gratitude to Cuba for training our medical students. More than 90 Solomon Islands doctors have graduated from Cuban medical schools and we expect this number to increase,” Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said at the time.
“We note with concern that the 60-year-old economic embargo against Cuba remains in place, and we reiterate our call for the embargo to be lifted in accordance with the spirit and purpose of the Charter of the United Nations,” Mr. Sogavare said.
India and the UAE will bring the number of countries with which the Solomon Islands has diplomatic relations to 14, according to published reports.
Alfred Sasako
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