US and Solomon Islands deepen cooperation with Peace Corps return and Coast Guard ship‑rider pact

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale and signed a letter of intent to restore the Peace Corps, which will resume volunteer activities after a 25‑year hiatus. The agreement includes $6 million in U.S. funding to clear unexploded World War II ordnance from the islands.

In a separate move, the Solomon Islands announced a ship‑rider agreement that will allow U.S. Coast Guard vessels to host local law‑enforcement officers for patrols of the nation’s 1.5 million‑square‑kilometre exclusive economic zone. The deal, slated for signing in Honiara, aims to curb drug and human trafficking and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing that underpins the tuna industry. The cooperation comes as the Solomons, which signed a security pact with China in 2022, seek to balance relations with both powers. Prime Minister Wale said China is “a good friend of Solomon Islands, but this is not something a friend does,” underscoring the island nation’s nuanced diplomatic stance.