US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is scheduled to visit Fiji, a neighboring country of the Solomon Islands. During his visit to Fiji, he will announce the opening of a new embassy in the Pacific island nation. The announcement came 29 years ago after the United States reduced its diplomatic presence in Honia.
The United States closed its embassy in Honia, the capital of the Solomon Islands, in 1993. Now there is a US Consulate there. Diplomatic relations are conducted in the country through this consulate. Solomon also has a US embassy in Port Moresby, the capital of neighboring Papua New Guinea.
Violent and deadly riots broke out on the island nation of 800,000 in November last year before the US announcement. The protesters then tried to vandalize the parliament. They then set fire to most parts of Chinatown in the capital, Honiara, for three days.
The unrest has spread to the country with the aim of ousting Manseh Sogavare, a veteran Solomon Islands prime minister, out of anger over poverty, unemployment and the conflict between one island and another. However, anti-China sentiment also played a role in the days-long violent protests.
The opening of a new embassy in the Solomon Islands would require the approval of the US Congress and the White House on the proposal of the US State Department.
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