Oxfam welcomes courtesy visit by British High Commissioner

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Oxfam hosted the British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands and Nauru, His Excellency Dr Brian Jones during a courtesy visit to the Oxfam office in Honiara on Tuesday.

The visit gave Oxfam the opportunity to share some of their work in the Solomon Islands while also explore ways to work collaboratively with the High Commission to achieve the common goal to help Solomon Islanders.

Oxfam Solomon Islands Country Director, Dolores Devesi says the Oxfam team were extremely happy to host H.E Dr Jones.

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Oxfam acknowledges the support of the British people for Solomon Islanders through Oxfam’s Youth and Governance Project, also known as ‘Statim Faia’ that is funded by the Queen’s Young Leaders Program through Comic Relief.

Oxfam’s relationship with the people of Great Britain although is far more than just Statim Faia.

Oxfam shares its root history with the UK where the organisation was founded in Oxford during the Second World War in 1942. Oxfam has since grown to become a leading international NGO with its presence in 94 countries with partners and allies around the world.

The establishment of Oxfam in the Solomon Islands in 2000 was also made by a DFID grant – UK Government funding – through Oxfam Australia with peace building initiatives following the ethnic tensions.

There was plenty of excitement at the Oxfam office in Honiara on Tuesday.

“His Excellency Dr Jones’ visit is perhaps the first high commissioner or ambassador by a VIP to our office, so we were really excited and flattered by this gesture,” Ms Devesi exclaimed. “Most of our work is on the field or with communities so we rarely host high level diplomats.”

Oxfam in Solomon Islands to date is an established Oxfam Country Office, reporting to Oxfam Australia and recently to Oxfam International through the Oxfam Pacific regional hub based in Fiji.

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