Local-Level Community Engagement in Solomon Islands' Minerals Sector

For Solomon Islands, transitioning mineral wealth into broad-based, sustainable forms of development presents as both an opportunity and a challenge. In 2017, the Ministry of Mines, Minerals, Energy and Rural Electrification (MMERE) launched the National Minerals Policy (NMP). Positioning mining as unsustainable by its very nature, the NMP envisions that “The mineral resources of Solomon Islands will be developed for the benefit of all the people of our country in a way that causes minimal environmental impact and respects the different cultures, interests, and relationships that make up this diverse community, both now and for future generations.”

With the significant changes to the governance and regulation of the sector envisioned in the NMP, a draft mining bill outlining the legislative mechanisms for a more sustainable minerals sector was also developed. One key initiative of both the policy and the bill is the establishment of the Solomon Islands Minerals Advisory Centre: an independent body to provide advice and assistance to landowners and communities in relation to exploration and mining.

With these proposed changes to the governance and regulation of the minerals sector in Solomon Islands, Square Circle was engaged to provide support on local level consultation and awareness for the Minerals Policy, draft bill and the proposed centre. Our project involved developing a fit-for-purpose Community Engagement Standard Operating Guideline for MMERE. The guideline supports local, culturally appropriate methods for doing community engagement, as well as international good practice standards and guidelines. To support the engagement process, Square Circle also developed high-level, fit-for-purpose awareness posters and pamphlets.

Square Circle also played a pivotal role in supporting the MMERE team in conducting stakeholder engagement on the policy, draft bill and the proposed centre around the Isabel, Rennell, Choiseul and Gold Ridge projects. Another feature of our work on this project has been the use of digital storytelling to allow sub-national stakeholders voices and opinions to be heard and disseminated.

Square Circle’s collaboration on this project illustrates the importance we attach to sub-national stakeholders and communities being a substantive part of decisions over ‘development’. We were engaged on this project as part of The World Bank’s broader program of support for MMERE through the “Solomon Islands Mining Governance (SIMGov) Project”.