Solomon Islands
May 2024
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Solomon Islands Development Cooperation Factsheet [PDF 302 KB]
Estimated Australian ODA: 2024-25: $171.2m
Gross National Income Per Capita: US2,210 (2022)
Population: 724,273 (2022)
| Australian ODA | 2022-23 Actual ($m)* | 2023-24 Budget Estimate ($m)* | 2023-24 Budget Estimate ($m)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Country Programs | 107.6 | 103.6 | 103.6 |
| Regional | 37.1 | 43.3 | 34.5 |
| Global/other | 11.1 | 10.2 | 11.8 |
| Other Government Departments | 19.4 | 14.2 | 21.3 |
| Total ODA to the Solomon Islands | 175.1 | 171.3 | 171.2 |
*Due to rounding, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items in totals.
Australia is Solomon Islands’ largest development partner, supporting all areas of society and the economy – from health, justice, and education, to infrastructure, labour mobility, private sector growth and agriculture. Our development program is our second largest in the Pacific, and third largest globally.
We have supported the creation of more than 14,700 jobs for Solomon Islanders since 2019, including through the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme. Since 2019, we have invested over $1.1 billion on infrastructure to support economic development and increase accessibility to services.
Strategic direction
In alignment with the Solomon Islands Government’s development priorities, we are scaling up investments in social and economic infrastructure. This includes both large-and-small scale community infrastructure such as health clinics, markets, and classrooms.
In 2024, we are preparing a Development Partnership Plan (DPP) in collaboration with Solomon Islands. The DPP will translate our International Development Policy into action and guide the development priorities we share with Solomon Islands.
Program highlights
- Supporting democratic institutions – we provided electoral system strengthening support to the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission for the 2024 joint elections.
- Delivering high quality health services and providing upgrades at the National Referral Hospital and biomolecular laboratories in three provincial capitals (Taro, Munda, and Lata).
- The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme is increasing worker skills and substantially improving livelihoods of Solomon Islanders via the contribution of remittances.
- Constructing six telecommunication towers to increase regional connectivity and close communication blind spots in four provinces.
- Supporting the Tina River Hydropower Development Project, which will deliver clean, reliable, and affordable electricity to Honiara.
- Improving connectivity – upgrades to Seghe Airfield are complete and work has commenced on the Australian funded rehabilitation of the Sasape Shipyard in Tulagi.
