The Solomon Islands are an island nation in the Pacific Melanesia region, consisting of nearly a thousand islands. The population of around 0.5 million is ethnically diverse, with around 70 languages spoken. The islands have suffered from political tensions and outright violence in recent years, leading to regional intervention from 2003 and an uneasy subsequent peace. Political strife remains a real threat, fuelled by ethnic tensions.

The country is the poorest in the Pacific region, with low human development indicators. Despite good recent economic performance, the economy remains very dependent on logging, fisheries and certain agricultural products like copra, palm oil and cocoa. The country is also vulnerable to natural disasters and faces demographic pressure from its young population.

Key issues in EU-Solomon Islands relations

The main focus of EU development cooperation since the 1990s has been on sustainable rural development and human resource development. This reflects the fact that most of the population still lives in a rural setting. Furthermore the cooperation has increasingly focused on building up national capacity at all levels to be able to use the aid effectively.

The main development areas have been helped by the STABEX fund, including sustainable rural development and education. STABEX funds have also been used to assist with post-conflict activities and rehabilitation in the wake of the 2007 earthquake and tsunami.

The Solomon Islands also have a Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the EU, which allows EU vessels to fish in territorial waters and provides for support to the country’s fisheries sectoral policy and resource management.

The latest EU development cycle (2008–13) has allocated a budget of € 16.5 M for development cooperation with the Solomon Islands. The main focal area is sustainable rural development with capacity building, accounting for € 11.2 M of the budget. A sector-wide approach is being adopted to sustainable rural development, supplementing ongoing and future activities in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and transport. A community-driven approach is also being taken, with emphasis on strengthening local and national institutions.