The Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands maritime border was officially re-opened on Tuesday, 31 October 2023, at Kangu, Buin, in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
The PNG Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority (PNGICSA) Chief Migration Officer Stanis Hulahau, the Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea William Soaki, the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) Minister for Lands Junior Tumare, and the ABG Minister for Police John Bosco Ragu, cut a ribbon at the Kangu Beach ramp to symbolize the re-opening of the border.
“The official re-opening of the PNG and SI border in Buin is significant, especially for the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and the Solomon Islands.
“It is important because it allows cross-border movement, primarily for the traditional inhabitants on both sides of the border,” Mr. Hulahau said.
The border was closed during the Covid pandemic and this affected the livelihood of the traditional inhabitants on both sides of it who could not visit family, shop, or sell across the border.
“Although traditional inhabitants were crossing the border after the height of the pandemic, this official re-opening ensures that the crossings can now be done lawfully,” Mr. Hulahau said.
He said that the re-opening is also part of the PNG and SI Governments commitment, through the PNGICSA and the Solomon Islands Immigration Division (SIID) to work closely on migration and border security matters.
“The re-opening of this border enhances our cooperation with SIID to manage cross-border movement between Buin in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and Western Province in the Solomon Islands for the Pacific Games to be held this year in Honiara, and in the future.
“The PNGICSA is providing ongoing capacity building support to SIID, and included in this assistance is the PNG-developed Travel Entry Capture Hub or TECH application using tablets that have been assigned to SIID to process travelers during the Pacific Games and in after. We envisage that the TECH application can also be used on the PNG side of the border in Buin,” Mr. Hulahau said.
