Lawmakers in Solomon Islands have selected China-friendly former Foreign Minister, Jeremiah Manele as the new Prime Minister of the South Pacific nation.
This development suggests that the South Pacific island nation will maintain close ties with China.
It follows elections on April 17, 2024 which delivered no clear winner.
The election was closely watched by China, the US and neighboring Australia because of the potential impact on regional security.
Governor General, Sir David Vunagi announced outside the parliament house on Thursday, May 2, 2024, that Manele won 31 votes to opposition leader, Matthew Wale’s 18 votes in a secret ballot of the 49 new MPs.
Police patrolled the parliamentary grounds as MPs voted inside, as Solomon Islands has seen unrest during elections in the past.
Earlier this week, pro-Beijing former Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare withdrew from the contest after failing to secure an election majority, paving the way for Manele to replace him as the party’s candidate.
Sogavare had hoped to become the first Prime Minister of the nation to maintain power in consecutive four-year terms following the election.
During his previous term, China’s influence increased more in the Solomons than anywhere else in the South Pacific.
Sogavare switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing and struck a secret security pact that has raised fears of the Chinese navy gaining a foothold in the region.
The pact raised alarm in the West and harbored a deep distrust of Australia and the United States.
Though the small archipelago has fewer than a million inhabitants, its waters are strategically located in the Pacific.
Manele was Solomon Islands’ Foreign Minister in 2019 when the nation severed ties with Taiwan and established diplomatic relations with China.
Sogavare had maintained Australia was his country’s preferred security partner despite the bilateral deal with Beijing signed in 2022.
Manele used his first speech as leader to promise to govern with integrity and to put his nation’s interests first.
“I will discharge my duties diligently and with integrity. I will at all times put the interests of our people and country above all other interests,” Manele said in a speech outside the National Parliament of Solomon Islands.
Manele has pledged a “government of national unity” that would be focused on improving the economy and “progress on our road to recovery” after the coronavirus pandemic.
Manele Urges Against Post-Election Violence
Praising the fact there was no repeat of past violence, Jeremiah Manele also urged against any post-election violence.
“Past Prime Minister’s elections have been met with the act of violence and destruction. Our economy and livelihoods have suffered because of this violence,” Manele said.
“However, today we show the world that we are better than that. We must respect and uphold the democratic process of electing our prime minister and set an example for our children and their children.”
Jeremiah Manele
Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese congratulated Manele on his election.
“I look forward to working closely with him. Australia and Solomon Islands are close friends and our futures are connected,” Albanese said on X.
Meg Keen, the Director of the Pacific Islands program for Lowy Institute, a Sydney-based international policy think tank, opined that Manele will be a “less fiery and combative leader for the West to manage but he will continue to pursue close relations with China.”
“As the former Foreign Minister, he helped broker the security deal with China that panicked the West. But he is also a seasoned diplomat with experience at the U.N. and in Western countries — he’s no stranger to Western engagement,” Keen said.
She added that Sogavare had pulled out of the race because his party’s loss of several lawmakers at the election was evidence that voters wanted change.
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