Clark welcomes Oxfam report on Solomons

Prime Minister Helen Clark said today that a report issued by Oxfam on the Solomon Islands highlights challenges that need to be addressed but relies too much on outside assistance.

The report, issued by Oxfam New Zealand and Oxfam Australia, looks at the role of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (Ramsi) in the past three years.

The group is made up of police and defence personnel from Australia, New Zealand and other countries from the Pacific Islands Forum grouping. It went to the Solomon Islands to help restore law and order following instability and conflict from 1999 to 2003.

"New Zealand and Ramsi share many of the concerns set out in the report, including how to achieve broad-based economic growth, how to heal the wounds caused by the conflict, and how communities can live together peacefully and securely," Miss Clark said in a written statement.

However, Miss Clark said she did not agree with the report's tendency to look to outside groups, especially Ramsi, to fix problems facing the Solomon Islands.

"A critical element is to build accountability between the Solomon Islands government and its people, which Oxfam identifies as a problem," she said.

"Oxfam also identifies the need for broader based economic and rural development to create jobs, improve incomes and food security, and support livelihoods."

- NZPA