12th Meeting of the Enhanced Consultative Mechanism on the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands

The Pacific Islands Forum’s Enhanced Consultative Mechanism (ECM) on the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) will hold its 12th Meeting in Honiara Solomon Islands today, 14 April 2016. Prior to this meeting, the ECM toured RAMSI facilities and RAMSI supported operations and programmes in Honiara on 13 April.
The ECM was established by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders in 2006 as a high level reference group to discuss the progress and broad policy direction of RAMSI. As RAMSI set out to achieve its mandate of restoring law and order and rebuilding the essential machinery of government, the ECM has provided regional oversight of RAMSI as well as support to the evolution of the mission in response to the changing situation in the Solomon Islands.
The Chair of the ECM, His Excellency Fred Yakasa, Papua New Guinea’s High Commissioner to Solomon Islands said “this meeting will be the second to last meeting of the ECM and is significant because we will discuss important issues relating to the drawdown and conclusion of RAMSI”. The ECM is anticipated to meet for the last time next year as RAMSI will conclude its operations by July 2017.
Forum Deputy Secretary General Andie Fong Toy also noted that “a key related issue of the drawdown is supporting the transition of important functions and operations to bilateral arrangements.” Deputy Secretary General Fong Toy added that “ensuring the sustainability of all RAMSI’s achievements to date are as important as the achievements themselves.”
The ECM comprises senior government representatives of the Republic of Palau, Papua New Guinea and the Federated States of Micronesia, as the past, present and future Chair of the Forum, as well as Solomon Islands and RAMSI. Australia and Papua New Guinea are also members of the ECM, while New Zealand will attend the 12th ECM as an observer.