Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele this morning officially opened the Pacific Water and Wastewater Conference and Expo in Honiara, highlighting the urgent need for improved water and sanitation services across the Solomon Islands and the wider Pacific region.
The week-long regional gathering, which runs until Friday, brings together policymakers, experts, and stakeholders to discuss critical water and wastewater challenges facing Pacific communities.
In his opening remarks, Manele acknowledged that the Solomon Islands still has significant gaps in its water and sanitation coverage. โOur national statistics on water and wastewater need significant improvements,โ he said.
He stressed that water and sanitation are central to the countryโs National Development Strategy and Water Sector Plan, and are also priorities of the Government of National Unity and Transformationโs policy agenda.
โWater connects to health, education, agriculture, energy and climate resilience,โ Manele said. โEvery dollar invested in water is an investment in people, in livelihoods, in our shared future.โ
The Prime Minister outlined steps being taken nationally, including strengthening institutions, climate-proofing infrastructure, and integrating resilience into planning at all levelsโfrom villages to Honiara.
Manele also noted the broader regional challenges, including rising sea levels contaminating groundwater, prolonged droughts, extreme weather damaging infrastructure, and the growing cost of maintaining aging systems.
โBut with every challenge comes opportunityโto work smarter, to work together, and to ensure no Pacific child grows up without safe water and sanitation,โ he told delegates.
He encouraged participants to share experiences and solutions, stressing the importance of regional integration beyond trade to include water and wastewater planning and service delivery.
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[PM Press Secretariat]
