The Solomon Islands has applied to rejoin the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), marking a renewed commitment to transparency and accountability as the country seeks to develop its mineral resources sector and strengthen governance in the mining industry.
The EITI announced on June 19 that it had received an application from the Solomon Islands government to become an implementing country under the global transparency standard for the extractive industries.
The application will be reviewed by the EITI Board's Outreach and Candidature Committee before being considered by the full EITI Board.
"We warmly welcome Solomon Islands' application to rejoin the EITI," EITI Executive Director Mark Robinson said.
"As the country seeks to develop its mineral resources, transparency and multi-stakeholder dialogue can help ensure that the sector is managed in a way that benefits citizens and supports sustainable development. We look forward to working with the government, companies and civil society as the application progresses through the EITI's candidature process."
The Solomon Islands is endowed with significant deposits of gold, nickel, bauxite, copper and zinc. While mining currently plays a relatively modest role in the economy, the government has identified the sector as a strategic driver of future economic growth and public revenue generation.
The latest application builds on a decision by the Government for National Unity and Transformation (GNUT) in May 2025 to formally re-engage with the EITI as part of broader reforms aimed at improving transparency and accountability in the extractive sector.
Under the initiative, the Ministry of Finance and Treasury and the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification were tasked with re-establishing the Solomon Islands Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (SI-EITI), including a national secretariat and a multi-stakeholder group comprising representatives from government, industry and civil society.
The government said EITI implementation would help improve revenue collection, strengthen governance and ensure that both the state and resource owners are fully informed about the value generated from the country's mineral resources.
Mining activity in the Solomon Islands has increased significantly in recent years. According to government figures, mineral export duty collections rose from SI$13.9 million in 2023 to SI$22.8 million in 2024, highlighting the sector's growing contribution to the economy.
Officials said the re-established SI-EITI office would independently reconcile payments made by mining companies to the national government, provincial governments and landowners, with annual reports to be made available to policymakers, stakeholders and the public.
The Solomon Islands previously implemented the EITI from 2012 to 2018 before withdrawing amid limited extractive sector activity and a shift in focus toward mining governance reforms and the development of new mining legislation.
The government said the completion of the mining legislation review, which includes commitments to international reporting standards, paved the way for the country's return to the EITI framework.
According to the EITI, the Solomon Islands' renewed candidature has been supported by international partners, including the United Kingdom and the United Nations Development Programme, which have worked with government agencies and civil society organizations to strengthen preparedness for implementation and promote inclusive participation.
As part of the application process, the Solomon Islands has undertaken measures required under the EITI Standard, including securing a government commitment to implementation, establishing a multi-stakeholder group, appointing senior officials to lead implementation efforts and developing a work plan to guide future activities.
The government said the next steps will include appointing a national coordinator, establishing the SI-EITI national secretariat and formally convening the multi-stakeholder group.
If approved by the EITI Board, the Solomon Islands would become the sixth country in the Asia-Pacific region to implement the EITI Standard and the 56th country worldwide to participate in the initiative.
The EITI is a global standard that promotes the open and accountable management of oil, gas and mineral resources by requiring participating countries to disclose information across the extractive sector value chain, from licensing and contracts to revenue collection and distribution.
