He said in the regional hub were the necessary financial and sectoral skills that can be pooled for the benefit of the 14 pacific island states.
“There are arguments to pull together resources, especially in the pacific, which has 14 small states which are in a huge area,” he said.
“It is very difficult to operate and to have all the necessary skills in the various specific sectors of interests for each countries , there will not be a reduction in the number of posts and diplomats or technical programs, but there will be an increase in the capacity to deal with programs.
Ambassador Tezapsidis added, this however does not mean the European Union programs including trade relations with Solomon Islands and Vanuatu would be affected in any negative way.
He said, current EU programs would continue with the same cooperation budget, hoping it increases depending on the absorption capacity of the country.
The Ambassador said, the Solomon Islands Government would have liked to have an EU presence in the country but relieved, nothing will change that will deteriorate current relations.
By: Leni Dalavera.
