23% of SI’s population struggling to meet basic needs

At the Solomon Islands Government Roundtable with donors this week, it has been revealed that around 23% of the country’s population are struggling to meet basic needs.

Minister of National Development Planning Rex Ramofafia stated this when he spoke about the five objectives under the National Development Strategy (NDS), which is the overarching development plan that guides the development aspirations of the country. The National Development Strategy 2015-2035 has five objectives.

Expanding on objective two, which is poverty alleviation, Ramofafia said poverty reduction is still an issue since despite efforts to improve living conditions, around 23% of the population are struggling to meet basic needs. “This exceeds the 20.1% and below target set by 2020,” he said.

Ramofafia said the country also has a high unemployment rate of 7.9%, with sanitation facilities and open defecation still major issues.

According to data provided to the dialogue about half of the country’s population still don’t have proper toilets or sanitations. Many still use streams, beaches, bushes and mangroves as toilets.

Meanwhile on the other hand, there is good progress on enhancing food security.

Ramofafia said the increasing use of solar energy for lighting in the rural areas is positive but access to grid-electricity is still low and the cost of electricity is very high.