This week will see a dedicated group of New Zealand-based businesses visit the Solomon Islands, as part of the NZ Pacific Business Council (NZPBC) Business Mission.
NZPBC Chair Devin Brown and the Council have been busy planning the four day business mission, which is being facilitated with the support of the Solomon Island High Commissioner in NZ, HE Joy Kere.
The delegation consists of representatives from Tradestaff; Fletcher South Pacific; NZ Trade and Enterprise (NZTE); BECA; Infratec; Downer NZ; Transnet; ProDesigners Architect; Ricoh South Pacific; and Pacific Islands Trade and Invest (PT&I).
Currently in a "growth stage", the Solomon Islands is attracting an increasing amount of interest from NZ investors.
While mining, agriculture, forestry, and fishing are the Pacific nation's major industries, other areas are beginning to create economic growth and opportunities, including tourism.
This business mission comes on the back of a hugely successful visit to Vanuatu in October last year, and it will allow NZ business people to check out potential investments in the Solomon Islands, and connect them with business people in the Solomon Islands, and vice versa.
The business mission gets underway on September 18, with delegates arriving in Honiara, where they will attend a welcome and networking function at the Official NZ Residence, and hosted by Deputy High Commissioner, Tim Breese.
Speakers will include Mr Breese, along with NZPBC Mission leader Paul Pledge, and the Solomon Islands Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Manasseh Maelanga.
A formal opening of the business mission will follow the next day, and delegates will be treated to presentations by Ministry for Finance and Treasury (MoFT), Under Secretary, Mckinnie Dentana; Central Bank of Solomon Islands Chief Economics Manager Michael Kikiolo; and Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) Board member Frank Wickham on the current economic scene in the Pacific nation.
Further presentations will take place, with the Royal Solomons Islands Police Force Deputy Commissioner Juanita Matanga; and NZ Police Team Leader Paris Razos speaking about security in the Solomons.
Other discussion sessions will be on themes such as investing and conducting business in the Solomon Islands; the future of tourism in the Solomon Islands; and Solomon Islands labour mobility.
A visit to the Guadalcanal Plains Palm Oil site is scheduled, and time set aside for delegates to meet with contacts, followed by a SICCI and NZPBC jointly-hosted dinner.
Presentations on delivering infrastructure and development projects in the Solomon Islands; and strengthening Solomon Islands infrastructure will follow on Wednesday, with another site visit set for Luunga Power Station and PV Array, as well as private dinner for the delegation to conclude the main part of the mission.
It is an intense few days, but the NZPBC Chair and his team believe the delegates have scope to get so much out of the visit, and he is sure it will be a huge success.