Solomon Islands and Japan signs scholarships for Solomon Islanders

By Mary Manelegua

The Japanese Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed a grant agreement for Japan to offer Human Resource Development Scholarships for Solomon Islands. 

The exchange of notes and grant agreement were signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade Hon. Peter Shanel Angovaka and the Japanese Ambassador to Solomon Islands His Excellency Yoshiaki Miwa in Honiara on Tuesday.

The scholarship assistance which is worth 109,000,000 Japanese Yen equivalent to SBD 8,004,000 will help 20 local students undertake master’s courses in Japan in the fields of public policy, public financial Management, International relations, climate change/environmental policy.

The assistance came under the Bilateral Aid Programs that aims to support the Human Resource Development of Solomon Islands.

Minister Angovaka said during the signing that the assistance represented a deeply bilateral relationship between the two countries.

He said education is a powerful tool that unlocks doors of opportunities, progress and prosperity for any state and will no doubt equip people who wish to acquire the necessary skills to assist in shaping public policies and to better serve the good people.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Miwa said Solomon Islands is faced with development challenges, not only shortages of technical staff and management capacity but also administrative and legislative frameworks.

“There is a need to elevate this system into a workable engine to boost productivity, thus building the capacities of administrative officers is the precise scope,” Miwa said.

He said the Japan Development Scholarship embarks to assist Human Resource Development of Solomon Islands and enhance fruitful relationships between the two countries.

It will allow each successful recipient to engage in formulation and implementing social and economic development after their return to the country.

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