Solomon Islands Prime Minister Mathew Wale and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have announced plans to negotiate a comprehensive treaty aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and setting a long-term framework for cooperation between the two countries.
The announcement was made during a joint press conference in Canberra, where the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepen relations based on mutual trust, respect and open dialogue.
Under the agreement, the two governments will begin negotiations on a treaty designed to capture their shared ambitions and long-term vision for the Solomon Islands–Australia relationship. Foreign ministers, working in consultation with relevant government portfolios, have been tasked with leading the negotiations and progressing the treaty as quickly as possible.
The treaty initiative was accompanied by a package of measures supporting Solomon Islands' development priorities in areas including budget support, education, migration and policing.
Australia will provide SBD$200 million (AUD$35 million) in budget support to assist Solomon Islands in responding to the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Maila and addressing challenges arising from global energy price shocks.
In education, Australia will double the number of training and vocational scholarships available to Solomon Islanders to 1,500 by 2027. Australia also pledged to work with partners in support of the Solomon Islands government's objective of achieving free education.
The two countries also agreed to expand migration opportunities, with the number of Pacific Engagement Visas allocated to Solomon Islands increasing to 300 in the next programme year.
Security cooperation remains a central pillar of the relationship, with both governments welcoming continued collaboration to strengthen the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force. This includes plans to complete a new police academy in Honiara by 2028 and continue cooperation through the next phase of the RSIPF–Australia Policing Partnership Programme.
The announcements mark one of the first major foreign policy initiatives under Prime Minister Wale's administration and signal a renewed focus on strengthening ties with Australia, Solomon Islands' largest development partner.
Prime Ministers Albanese and Wale said they were optimistic that the expanded cooperation would deliver long-term benefits for both countries and further strengthen the enduring partnership between Solomon Islands and Australia.
