PNG commended for taking initiative to organize major investment and trade fair in the Solomon Islands

Papua New Guinea has been commended for taking the initiative to organize the major investment and trade fair in the Solomon Islands.

Foreign Affairs and External Trade Minister for Solomon Islands, Clay Forau, said as a big brother in the Pacific is taking the right step in establishing investment and trade partnership with the small island nation.

Mr. Forau said PNG and Solomon Islands have many things in common and its timely that PNG is showing interest in helping it grow its economy.

The Minister says his country is truly behind PNG to establish trade and investment relationship.

Meantime, there's great interest among Solomon Islands women to develop business partnerships and networks with their PNG counterparts.

The women have gone ahead and organized an exhibition apart from the main trade and investment fair to showcase their products.

Businesswoman, Christina Redcliffe, says there are many up and coming businesswomen in the Solomon Islands.

However, there are no better avenues to coordinate and develop them in terms of market opportunities and technical assistance.

And they are looking at bigger brothers like PNG to assist them.

Huge planes load LNG equipment. Photo Malu Nalu/The National

Meanwhile the Solomon Islands has been encouraged to tap into the current economic opportunities provided by Papua New Guinea.

Minister for Trade, Commerce and Industry, Richard Maru, said there's a lot PNG can offer to the Solomon Islands and called on it to take advantage of the opportunities provided.

Mr. Maru said this when opening the first ever PNG/Solomon Islands Investment and Trade Fair in Honiara this morning.

The Minister said PNG is now at the threshold of a major economic boom, with coming on board of the multi-billion-Kina LNG project and other resource development.

And he called on the Solomon Island to get on board now so that it can benefit from these developments.