RAMSI is helping the Solomon Islands Government and the people to help themselves. RAMSI’s mission is to help get Solomon Islands working and growing again. RAMSI is creating the conditions for Solomon Islanders to re-assume control of their country, their lives and their future.

The Parliament, the Government, Constitutional office holders, and the Public Service all remain responsible for exercising their respective functions, and they remain accountable to the people of Solomon Islands. RAMSI does not control government nor does it make national decisions on behalf of Solomon Islands.

The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) focuses its work on three main broad areas:

1. Machinery of Government – helping government better serve the people
2. Economic Governance – creating a more prosperous Solomon Islands
3. Law and Justice – creating a safer Solomon Islands

In many of these areas RAMSI is putting in place programs that will be implemented over a period of five to ten years. RAMSI is not a ‘quick-fix’ to overcome the ills that have plagued Solomon Islands. RAMSI is a long-term partnership.

Provincial focus

RAMSI understands that its efforts must also have a strong provincial focus, as well as working at the national level. One of the challenges Solomon Islands faces is how to bring about improvements in the rural economy and provide opportunities to the majority of people living in villages. RAMSI has had an impact at the provincial level.

• The effects of improved law and order, and improved government finances, are already being felt in provincial and rural areas.
• RAMSI has helped introduce reform to the transport sector to ensure shipping and aviation is more reliable.
• RAMSI is looking at other ways to help rural communities, including a program to provide support to agriculture and farmers.
• RAMSI has embarked on a major program to rehabilitate key roads in the provinces, recognising that better roads provide access to markets and improved service delivery for rural people. RAMSI is also contributing to the government’s Solomon Islands Road Improvement Project (SIRIP), worth $SI128 million.
• Reforms to the public service should result in better services being provided to the provinces.
• Economic reforms will help generate more economic activity.

Provincial level assistance is becoming an increasing feature of RAMSI’s work.

Since arriving in Solomon Islands, RAMSI has had many successes. Law and order has been largely restored, almost 3,600 guns have been surrendered and are now removed from the community; many of those people responsible for deaths and the destruction that spoiled the country in recent years have been arrested; many more investigations are underway; the justice system is working again; the Solomon Islands Police Force is becoming a better, more professional police force, capable of maintaining law and order; government finances have been stabilized; civil servants are being paid on time; funding for health and education has increased; and the economic situation has vastly improved.

But there is much hard work to be done and many more challenges to meet. This was highlighted by the civil unrest in Solomon Islands in April 2006. We must all be realistic that the situation in Solomon Islands remains serious and the progress made so far remains fragile. It will take years, and the efforts of the entire population, to ensure a better brighter future is realized for all Solomon Islanders.

How do we know if RAMSI is achieving its goals?