The Hon Manasseh Damukana Sogavare

Prime Minister
Solomon Islands

Hon Sogavare was born on the 17th of January 1955 in the Oro Province of Papua New Guinea to Choiseulese parents serving there as Seventh Day Adventist Church missionaries.

He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and Economics from the University of the South Pacific (USP) and a Masters’ Degree in Management Studies from the University of Waikato in New Zealand.

Hon Manasseh Sogavare MP, was elected Prime Minister of Solomon Islands for the fourth time on 24 April 2019, following the national general election on 3rd April 2019. Hon. Sogavare first held the Prime Ministerial post from June 2000 to December 2001, then again from April 2006 to December 2007, and prior to this election from November 2014 to November 2017.

Hon Sogavare’s political career begun in 1997 when he won the East Choiseul Constituency seat in the 1997 national general elections. This is his sixth consecutive term as MP for the East Choiseul Constituency in Parliament.

From July 1998 to September 1999 he served as the Deputy Opposition Leader. During this period Hon Sogavare successfully completed a Masters’ Degree in Management Studies from Waikato University using flexible learning delivery.

Hon Sogavare took over the leadership role of the Opposition party in January 2000 following the death of then Opposition Leader, the late Honourable Solomon Mamaloni and remained in this position until June 2000 when he became Prime Minister. He retained the Opposition Leader role from December 2007 to April 2010.

In the 9th Parliament, Hon Sogavare was a member of the Opposition under the leadership of Hon Steve Abana and later Hon Dr Derek Sikua and served as Chair of the Parliamentary Bills and Legislations Committee. The committee was notable for referring back to the government several legislations submitted to Parliament for approval for being poorly done.