Indonesia Bolsters Pacific Ties with Focus on Development and Resilience

JAKARTA - Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono strengthened Indonesia's partnership with the Pacific region through a meeting with the Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Baron Divavesi Waqa and Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Rick Nelson Houenipwela, on the sidelines of the High-Level Week series of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York (24/9). Both meetings discussed strengthening cooperation between Indonesia and the Pacific region, both through the PIF and bilaterally, especially in the fields of development, regional resilience, trade, and capacity building, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote in its statement (25/9). During the meeting with the Secretary General of PIF, Foreign Minister Sugiono welcomed Indonesia's status as a Strategic Partner of PIF and emphasized Indonesia's commitment to further strengthening its contribution to the development and resilience of the region, with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent as one of the references. Both parties also discussed Indonesia's support for the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) as well as increasing dialogue between Indonesia and Pacific countries. Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Rick Nelson Houenipwela when meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono. (Source: Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Meanwhile, in a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Solomon Islands, both Ministers discussed strengthening cooperation in development, trade, and capacity building, including in the fields of fisheries and agriculture. Foreign Minister Sugiono also invited Solomon Islands business actors to participate in the Trade Expo Indonesia on October 14-18, 2026, and encouraged the finalization of cooperation in the fields of education and culture. In turn, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Solomon Islands expressed appreciation for Indonesia's contribution through various capacity building and scholarship programs and conveyed plans to strengthen the representation of Solomon Islands in Jakarta to encourage economic and trade relations between the two countries. The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the series of meetings confirmed Indonesia's commitment to continue to strengthen relations and partnerships with Pacific countries through increasingly close, concrete, and mutually beneficial dialogue and cooperation, as well as provide tangible benefits for the welfare of the Indonesian people and the people in the Pacific region.