WASHINGTON: The US is dissatisfied that Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is not going to attend a Pacific Islands summit with US President Joe Biden subsequent week, the White Home mentioned on Saturday (Sep 23).
Biden will host a second summit with leaders of the Pacific Islands Discussion board on the White Home on Monday as a part of his efforts to step up engagement with a area the place the US is in a battle for affect with China.
The summit with the 18-member discussion board will happen on Monday and Tuesday in Washington.
“We’re dissatisfied that PM Sogavare of the Solomons doesn’t plan to attend,” a Biden Administration official mentioned.
The Australian broadcaster ABC reported Solomon Islands International Minister Jeremiah Manele will attend the summit as an alternative.
The Solomon Islands Prime Minister’s Workplace didn’t reply to a Reuters request for remark.
Sogavare spoke on the United Nations Basic Meeting on Friday in New York, the place he praised China’s improvement cooperation as “much less restrictive, extra responsive and aligned to our nationwide wants”, and mentioned Beijing was its lead infrastructure accomplice.
Sogavare mentioned he reached an understanding with President Xi Jinping throughout a July go to to China for the Solomon Islands to attain improvement by China’s insurance policies, together with the Belt and Highway Initiative and International Safety Initiative.
Vanuatu Prime Minister Sato Kilman additionally is not going to attend the assembly, an official from his workplace advised Reuters on Friday, as a result of all Vanuatu authorities lawmakers should be in parliament on Monday for a no-confidence vote.