Solomon Islands, explained.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale speaks during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra on 3 June 2026 (Hilary Wardhaugh/AFP via Getty Images)
Solomon Islands’ new PM has reset ties with Canberra and courted the world – yet his domestic position remains precarious.
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Solomon Islands: how 100 days of Wale reshaped its foreign policySolomon Islands: how 100 days of Wale reshaped its foreign policy
Matthew Wale has been the PM of Solomon Islands for just over 100 days. His time in power has seen a flurry of foreign policy wins amid domestic turmoil and political dissent that have already threatened his position. Reflecting on Wale’s tenure so far reveals what will determine his future, with lessons for how Australia must engage with Solomon Islands.
After 18 years in parliament, seven years in opposition, a failed push to stand up a motion of no-confidence in 2021 and a lost leadership bid in 2024, Matthew Wale became the 14th PM of Solomon Islands via the slimmest of margins (Opens in new window). In his speech following the vote he promised change (Opens in new window) that would be necessary, but “may be painful”.
The greatest threat to Wale’s position, and the political goodwill it affords Canberra, comes from within his own parliament.
Wale’s first trip abroad was to Canberra – which most analysts cautioned against over-interpreting as indicative of a dramatic shift in Solomon Islands’ foreign policy away from China and towards Australia. Still, the trip showed a clear shift in the tone of the bilateral relationship that had been frosty under former PMs Manasseh Sogavare and Jeremiah Manele, with Wale and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese committing to working together (Opens in new window) on a new comprehensive treaty between the two nations, for delivery by the end of 2026.
Over a whirlwind few weeks, Wale visited three more Pacific partners. On 8 June (Opens in new window) he met with New Zealand’s Christopher Luxon in Wellington. In the days following that trip news broke (Opens in new window) of Wale’s proposed Pacific-wide security treaty – a concept he has since championed, and which Australia has shown strategically restrained enthusiasm for. Wale then visited PNG, signing a framework agreement (Opens in new window) on development and economic cooperation with PNG Prime Minister James Marape. The regional tour closed in Suva on 2 July where Wale chaired Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Troika talks.
Meeting, clockwise from top left, with New Zealand's Christopher Luxon, US Deputy of State Christopher Landau, Australia's Anthony Albanese and PNG's James Marape (@DeputySecState, @chrisluxonmp, @AlboMP/X, Prime Minister's Office, Solomon Islands/Facebook)
A day after China’s controversial (Opens in new window) submarine-launched missile test landed in the Pacific, Albanese stopped over in Honiara on his way back from inking two new deals with Fiji. In a joint press conference (Opens in new window), Wale and Albanese gave their first public statements on the test, with Wale’s choice of words striking the balance between condemnation of the unwanted test and preservation of relations with Beijing: “China is a good friend of Solomon Islands, but this is not something a friend does.”
Wale’s desire to diversify and deepen Solomon Islands’ global partnerships was on show in late July as he visited Washington and Tokyo in quick succession, meeting Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi (Opens in new window) in person. Upon returning to Honiara, Wale signed a shiprider agreement (Opens in new window) with the United States, making Solomon Islands the 13th Pacific nation to do so.
In an address to parliament, Wale announced (Opens in new window) a formal review of the historically opaque 2022 China security pact. Wale vowed “no more secrecy” on agreements binding the nation – referring to the lack of disclosure around the 2022 agreement that meant even when he became PM it took weeks for him to be permitted to read it.
Talks with Sanae Takaichi ( @takaichi_sanae/X)
On the eve of the PIF Leaders’ Meeting in Palau, Home Affairs Minister Manasseh Maelanga filed (Opens in new window) a motion of no-confidence, accusing Wale of bypassing cabinet by “repeatedly [making] unilateral decisions on matters of national importance without proper consultation”. Wale immediately flew home from Palau, forgoing PIF. The no-confidence motion was withdrawn a week later.
Wale’s stint as PM has been a boon for Australia’s engagement with Solomon Islands, and Canberra will hope Wale bucks the trend of Solomon Islands’ politics and enjoys some degree of longevity. The next set of elections in Solomon Islands is slated for mid-2028 – until then, the greatest threat to Wale’s position, and the political goodwill it affords Canberra, comes from within his own parliament.
Foreign policy wins did not secure Wale’s place in the first 100 days. Wale’s handling of persistent power struggles inside cabinet and ongoing domestic pressures – including a cost-of-living crisis, energy security concerns and growing HIV cases (Opens in new window) – will dictate how long he keeps the top job. Australia has determined that means supporting Wale’s domestic agenda and efforts to keep his MPs onside will be central to maintaining Canberra’s diplomatic momentum in Solomon Islands.
Australia is about to do just that if the deal revealed in a leaked text message (Opens in new window) between Australian High Commissioner Jeffrey Roach and Solomon Islands Deputy PM Francis Sade goes ahead. A comprehensive agreement between Australia and Solomon Islands is reportedly all but finalised and includes over A$980 million in funding to Solomon Islands. Details are still sparse, but a large chunk will fund free education – a longstanding priority of Wale’s. A$93 million will go to constituency development funds over the first three years – essentially the discretionary funds of MPs. The timing of this leak alongside the withdrawal of the no-confidence motion raised eyebrows – even accusations (Opens in new window) – and, if confirmed, Australia’s direct contribution to long-maligned constituency development funds (Opens in new window) will draw further criticism.
What concessions Australia receives as part of this deal – and whether they clash with China’s 2022 pact – has yet to be made public.
About the author
Connor Graham
Connor Graham is a Research Fellow in the Pacific Islands Program at the Lowy Institute.
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