Private Tuiaki shows digital photos to children in the Mbarama village on the outskirts of Honiara, Solomon Islands. PTE Tuiaki was part of a Territorial Force deployment to the Solomon Islands which supports the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI). [MC 09-0081-308]
Introduction
The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) is in the Solomon Islands at the invitation of the Solomon Islands Government.
The Facilitation of International Assistance Act 2003, passed unanimously by the Solomon Islands Parliament in July 2003, provides authority under Solomon Islands domestic law for RAMSI’s activities.
RAMSI’s mandate was determined by the Pacific Islands Forum.
In 2007, the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting endorsed the findings of a special Forum Taskforce Review of RAMSI recommending that the forum Ministerial Standing Committee (FMSC) be established to provide oversight and guidance to RAMSI operations and that the Mission’s draw-down over time should not involve a single exit deadline but rather a series of jointly agreed indicative and performance-based timelines. In February 2008, the inaugural FMSC meeting decided these timelines could be best determined through the development of a Partnership Framework between the Solomon Islands Government and RAMSI.
Mission
RAMSI's mission is to work together with the people and government of the Solomon Islands to build a secure, well-governed and prosperous nation.
Mandate
In 2003, the Solomon Islands Government and the countries of the Pacific Region, through the Pacific Islands Forum, agreed on a mandate for RAMSI to address civil unrest and lawlessness, economic decline, and a dramatic drop in service delivery and government administrative standards. The key elements of the mandate are to:
- restore civil order in Honiara and throughout the country
- stabilise government finances and fight corruption
- promote long-term economic recovery and revive business confidence
- rebuild the machinery of government
RAMSI - Military Presence
RAMSI’s military contingent is made up of military personnel from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga. The military presence supports RAMSI by acting as a deterrent to destabilising events and providing support to the Participating Police Force (PPF) and the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF).
NZDF Contribution to RAMSI - Operation RATA II
New Zealand has been contributing to RAMSI since its inception in July 2003. New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) Army platoons deploy to the Solomons' for four month rotations and work alongside other South Pacific nations - Australia, Tonga and Papua New Guinea.
New Zealand’s contribution is an infantry platoon made up of mostly Territorial Force soldiers. Military forces are committed to enhancing the safety and security of all Solomon Islanders, not just the police and other RAMSI personnel.
The Military patrols and presence reduce the threat of violence by providing extra security to enable the PPF and the RSIPF to work in a safe and secure environment. This allows the Solomon Islands to continue to develop and prosper.
Patrols are conducted in Honiara in conjunction with the PPF and the RSIPF. The military also assists with provincial patrolling and visit every province of the Solomon Islands, making contact with as many people as possible.
It is important for RAMSI’s military contingent to engage with the local community. All members receive training in cultural awareness and basic Solomon Islands pijin.