BY LORETTA B MANELE

A meeting next week is supposed to have renewed commitment from Solomon Islands two partners, Australia and New Zealand.

Collin Beck, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) spoke about this before the PAC (Public Accounts Committee) Hearing on 2026 Appropriation Bill 2025 on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.

In regards to the meeting, he informed the committee that the PACER Plus arrangement by next week is an important one for the country, especially in terms of trade.

Beck said the term for the first phase of the implementation in terms of rolling out support will come to an end on the 12th of December.

“So, the meeting next week is supposed to have renewed commitment from our two partners, especially Australia and New Zealand, he said.

Beck mentioned that under the PACER Plus agreement, the first cycle was around Australian AUD 25 million.

“So, we are expecting with the increased number of activities, we expect the envelope to increase and that will be signed off by the minister at ministerial level. So that again will be hosted here in the Solomon Islands,” he said.

Speaking of some of the economic activity they are engaged in under the PACER Plus Agreement, Beck said they are working with Chilli farmers as one issue Soltuna is facing is the lack of Chilli.

“And I think they have been importing Chilli from Nepal, from abroad. So, under the PACER Plus arrangement, we are trying to work with MAL (Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock),” he said.

Beck mentioned that they have also worked with an agriculture expert in terms of trying to ensure that those from the province, especially Western Province which is closer to the Soltuna factory, can grow Chilli.

According to MFAET, The Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus is a regional trade agreement between the FICs, Australia and New Zealand.

The Agreement, initiated back in 2009 aims to achieve closer economic integration and trade relations within the Pacific and is intended to be a development friendly deal that facilitates sustainable growth for FICs (Forum Island Countries).

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