Chargé d’Affaires Russell Comeau (center) and Director for Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Island Affairs Taylor Ruggles (left), were joined by Colin Beck, permanent secretary of the Solomon Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (second to left) to raise the flag over the U.S. Embassy in Honiara, Solomon Islands, for the first time, Feb. 1. In a press conference following the flag raising, Beck offered hearty congratulations to the U.S. government for opening the embassy earlier than promised and said he looks forward to deepening relations, including through negotiation of a bilateral development agreement. Comeau remarked, “As one of the first countries to recognize Solomon Islands after its independence, the United States is pleased to join fellow partners represented at the embassy level. This action stands as an enduring symbol of our commitment to the country and the region.”
Photo by Embassy Honiara
