Solomon Islands and Australia are family with interconnected futures – we share a region, an ocean and a history of partnership. Australia is Solomon Islands' partner of choice across the economic, development and security sectors.
Economic and trade engagement
Solomon Islands is one of the Pacific's most challenging locations to achieve sustained economic outcomes. A highly dispersed population, vulnerability to natural disasters and climate change, and poor infrastructure and connectivity present significant impediments. Other long-term constraints to economic growth include under-developed labour skills, high utility costs, land tenure issues, and limited public administration and financial management capacity. Three quarters of the population live in rural areas and rely largely on subsistence agriculture and fishing. Solomon Islands also has a young and growing population; over 50 per cent are under 24 years of age and the total population is projected to grow to over 1.3 million by 2050.
The Solomon Islands Government has identified economic diversification as a national priority acknowledging the significant decline in the nation's logging industry. Commercial fishing and processing, the expansion of commercial agricultural, tourism and mining are potential sources of growth.
Our economic relationship spans trade, investment, tourism, development assistance and labour mobility. When the totality of our relationship is considered, Australia is Solomon Islands' most significant economic partner. Major exports from Solomon Islands to Australia include gold, timber, and copra. Under PACER Plus Solomon Islands has enjoyed tariff and quota free access to Australia since 2003. The accompanying PACER Plus development program is helping Solomon Islands to address non-tariff barriers to continuing the expansion of export opportunities.
Australia is also a major source of tourists and other visitors to Solomon Islands. Shipping and air services directly connect Solomon Islands with Australia, and one Australian commercial bank (ANZ) operates in Solomon Islands. SolRais (a subsidiary of SunRice) is the largest Australian commercial presence in Solomon Islands. Australian legal and accounting firms are also represented directly, or in association, with local firms.
Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme
The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme commenced in 2022, merging the previously existing Seasonal Worker Programme and Pacific Labour Scheme. Under the scheme, workers from Pacific countries and Timor-Leste are recruited by eligible businesses in Australia to fill labour gaps in rural and regional Australia for up to four-year roles. It offers Pacific and Timor-Leste workers the opportunity to develop their skills and send income home. Solomon Islands is one of the strongest contributors to the PALM scheme, supporting job creation and boosting Solomon Islands' economy.
Development partnership
Australia's Official Development Assistance (ODA) brings together efforts from bilateral, regional and global funding as well as other Government Departments. The Australian Federal Police and the Australian Department of Defence are significant non-ODA contributors to Solomon Islands development.
Australia refocused its bilateral programs in early 2023 to better align with Solomon Islands Government priorities of infrastructure, economic growth and job creation, while maintaining support to human development investments in areas such as health, education, and gender equality. The Australia – Solomon Islands Development Partnership Plan 2024-2029 sets out the shared vision and priorities that drive our development cooperation with Solomon Islands in accordance with Australia's International Development Policy.
For more information, visit Australia's development partnership with Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands – Australia Community Partnerships program
The Solomon Islands – Australia Community Partnerships program (previously the Direct Aid Program) is a small grants program designed to help community groups improve their living standards. The Australian High Commission funds activities that are aimed at achieving practical and tangible outcomes of high development impact through development of small-scale community infrastructure projects. Funding is available on a not-for-profit basis to community groups, NGOs and other entities engaged in development activities.
For more information, visit Solomon Islands – Australia Community Partnerships
Security partnerships
Australia is committed to supporting Solomon Islands' evolving security priorities.
On 14 August 2017, our governments signed a Bilateral Security Treaty which allowed Australian police, defence and associated civilian personnel to deploy rapidly to Solomon Islands in the event of an emergency. This agreement entered into force on 13 June 2018. The treaty was activated for the first time in November 2021 at the request of then Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare following civil unrest in Honiara. Australian defence and police personnel deployed in less than 24 hours to assist the RSIPF as part of the Solomons International Assistance Force (SIAF).
From 2021-2024, security personnel from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea worked alongside the RSIPF to restore stability, provide security support for the 2023 Pacific Games, and deliver safe and secure Joint Elections on 17 April 2024 and subsequent parliamentary sitting periods. Over 1600 Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Defence Force (ADF) officers deployed to Solomon Islands throughout this time. SIAF concluded on 18 August 2024.
On 20 December 2024, Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Manele released a joint statement announcing Australia would provide a package of support to grow the size and capability of the RSIPF, in response to a request by Solomon Islands. Guided by Solomon Islands' priorities, the package will include funding, training and infrastructure support to grow the RSIPF in a sustainable manner, including support for a new sovereign Police Training Centre in Honiara.
In addition to our support for RSIPF expansion, Australia and Solomon Islands continue to work together through our longstanding security cooperation programs. Under our RSIPF – AFP Policing Partnership Program (RAPPP), AFP personnel work alongside RSIPF counterparts to provide mentorship, enabling assistance for major operations and targeted training and exchange programs. Our Defence Cooperation Program (DCP), established in 1982, is focused on boosting the RSIPF's maritime security, explosive ordnance disposal, border surveillance, band, education, infrastructure and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) capabilities.
Australia and Solomon Islands also have growing links in cyber and border security, including through our partnership to establish a new Border Management System and uplift the capabilities of the Solomon Islands Customs and Excise Division.
Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI)
In December 1998, existing ethnic tensions on Guadalcanal rapidly escalated. Many Guadalcanal people resented the influence of settlers from other islands and their occupation of undeveloped land in and around Honiara. The settlers, mostly from nearby Malaita, were drawn to Honiara and its environs by comparatively greater economic opportunities. Clashes involving rival militant groups erupted, destabilising Solomon Islands and undermining national institutions. This situation persisted for more than four years.
In April 2003, then Solomon Islands Prime Minister Sir Allan Kemakeza requested Australian assistance in addressing the violence. Following consultations between the Governments of Solomon Islands, Australia and New Zealand, a comprehensive package of strengthened assistance to support the Solomon Islands Government – the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) – was proposed and unanimously endorsed by a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Pacific Islands Forum. RAMSI was debated and unanimously endorsed by the Solomon Islands Parliament, welcomed by the President of the UN Security Council, commended by then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and supported by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group and then Commonwealth Secretary-General Sir Don McKinnon.
RAMSI was a long-term commitment aimed at creating the conditions necessary for a return to stability, peace and a growing economy. RAMSI arrived in Solomon Islands in July 2003 and was a partnership between Solomon Islands, Australia and fifteen contributing countries of the Pacific region. Australia led the contingent of military personnel, police and civilians. On 1 July 2013, RAMSI's military component concluded and associated development assistance activities were transferred to the programs of donors. RAMSI concluded on 30 June 2017.
People-to-people links
Australia Awards
Australia Awards are prestigious international scholarships offered by the Australian Government to the next generation of global leaders. Through study and research, recipients develop the skills and knowledge to drive change and help build enduring people-to-people links with Australia. Australia Awards are aligned with Australia's development assistance in Solomon Islands, targeting human resource gaps in identified priority sectors. They aim to provide awardees with the skills and knowledge to drive change and influence economic and social development. Australia provides Awards Scholarships to Solomon Islanders annually spanning undergraduate, postgraduate and short course opportunities at Australian universities.
For more information, visit the Australia Awards website
Volunteers
The Australian Volunteers Program matches skilled Australians with organisations in developing countries to help these organisations to deliver on their own objectives. The program uses international volunteering as a people-centred approach to capacity development. The Australian Volunteers Program is part of the Australian Government's people-to-people program portfolio, connecting Australians to Australia's development cooperation program and the region.
For more information, visit the Australian Volunteers Program