PRESS RELEASE (44/11)
24th June 2011
The work of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) will be discussed by representatives of the Pacific Islands Forum, the Solomon Islands Government and RAMSI in Honiara next week.
The 7th meeting of the Enhanced Consultative Mechanism on RAMSI (ECM) will be held on 28th June to be followed by the 5th Forum Ministerial Standing Committee (FMSC) on RAMSI on 30th June 2011.
“The Enhanced Consultative Mechanism and the Forum Ministerial Standing Committee are mechanisms endorsed by Forum Leaders to oversee the work of RAMSI and to strengthen relations and confidence between the Solomon Islands Government and RAMSI,” says Tuiloma Neroni Slade, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
“These are two important meetings as RAMSI marks eight years of operations and the Pacific Islands Forum commemorates its 40th anniversary with the opportunity to look back on what has been achieved in the region’s security and what work needs to be done to achieve the Forum Leaders’ vision for a secure and peaceful region,” Mr Slade said.
Mr Slade adds, “RAMSI is one of the success stories in regional cooperation in the Forum’s 40 years of existence. Both the Solomon Islands Government and participating Forum countries should be commended for making it one of the unique missions that is recognised not only in the region but also internationally as an effective response to restoring law and order and addressing post conflict challenges facing a country.”
The 7th ECM and the 5th FMSC meetings will discuss amongst other issues the 2010 Annual Performance Report on the achievements and constraints on the work of RAMSI, including proposed plans for RAMSI’s drawdown and other issues of mutual interest and concern.
Both meetings will be attended by senior government representatives from Vanuatu (as current Forum Chair), Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands, as well as representatives from RAMSI and the Forum Secretariat.
ENDS.
For media enquires contact Mr Johnson Honimae, the Forum Secretariat’s Media Officer on phone 679 331 2600 or email: johnsonh@forumsec.org.fj
