SOLOMON STAR NEWS - Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Solomon Islands His Excellency Usen. A. Suleimen has paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in Honiara on Tuesday.

At the brief meeting, Ambassador Suleimen conveyed his President’s and the Kazakhstani Government’s greetings to the Prime Minister and the people of Solomon Islands. 

Ambassador Suleimen informed Prime Minister Sogavare of his country’s gratitude for Solomon Islands support towards his country’s candidature to be a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. 

He said Kazakhstan’s priority is to be in the same boat with Solomon Islands and other countries in International Organizations such as the United Nations. 

Ambassador Suleimen said his country has always considered climate change and global warming as important issues and it is willing to support Solomon Islands in its mission to ask developed countries to reduce the release of green house gases into the atmosphere through international forums. 

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said he was pleased to welcome Ambassador Suleimen to the shores of Solomon Islands as he looked forward to a close working relationship with him during his term. 

Mr Sogavare told the Ambassador that Solomon Islands biggest security threat is climate change and global warming. 

“For Small Islands States, including Solomon Islands, our biggest security threat is climate change. It is eating away our low lying islands and is threatening our food security and other livelihoods,” Mr Sogavare said. 

The Prime Minister also raises concerns over the systematic challenges faced by small islands developing states in accessing billions of dollars promised by developed countries to fight against climate change. 

“We have heard of billions of dollars earmarked for small islands states to mitigate the impacts of climate change but accessing these funds remain very difficult for us,” Mr Sogavare said.

He said for small islands states, the priority now is to focus their development programs to sustainable development, especially, in agriculture, fisheries and tourism sectors. 

Ambassador Suleimen is based in Singapore. He is due to meet other top government officials during his stay in Honiara this week.