Solomon Islands wins bid to host 2023 Pacific Games

Solomon Islands has won the bid to host the 2023 Pacific Games.

The Pacific Games Council's General Assembly voted in favour of the Melanesian country by one vote over French Polynesia, which also lost out to Tonga in the final vote for the 2019 Games.

Both delegations made their final presentations in Port Vila on Wednesday.

The Solomon Islands government had promised to build a new national stadium in Honiara if it won the hosting rights.

The President of the Pacific Games Council, Vidhya Lakhan, says the Solomons had a high-powered delegation to push for their case.

"Solomon Islands had their Prime Minister, their Deputy Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, the Deputy Mayor. I don't think anybody was left back at home but they were here in full force. They did a pretty good presentation and were able to convince the General Assembly that we should meet in Honiara in 2023."

Solomon Islands will be the eighth country to host the full Pacific Games, after Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, French Polynesia, Samoa, Guam and Tonga.

Source: Radio New Zealand