InvestSolomons has launched a redesigned investment promotion website aimed at providing clearer guidance to prospective investors and making the process of starting or expanding a business in the Solomon Islands more efficient. The updated platform introduces a structured set of sector profiles, simplified investment procedures, and resources on regulatory requirements, replacing fragmented and outdated information that had previously made navigation difficult for investors unfamiliar with the local environment.
The initiative forms part of the Government’s broader push to increase foreign direct investment and support private sector growth, particularly in tourism, agriculture, forestry value addition, fisheries, and services. The new site highlights priority sectors where the Solomon Islands holds comparative advantages, such as high value cocoa and coconut products, sustainable timber processing, and niche eco and cultural tourism experiences.
One of the key features includes clearer step by step processes for setting up a business, including licensing, land access pathways, and local partnership structures. While challenges remain, particularly around land tenure complexities and logistics, officials say greater transparency is necessary to encourage credible investors and reduce the time spent responding to repeated enquiries that can now be self-served online.
The platform also includes investor success case studies that demonstrate practical examples of long term investment partnership in the country. These include agricultural exporters, manufacturing operations and tourism lodges that work closely with communities and landowners. The aim is to showcase realistic business models that reflect the social, cultural and geographic context of the Solomon Islands economy.
Industry representatives have welcomed the update but emphasise the need for ongoing responsiveness. Several noted that a website is only one part of the investor journey and that reliable follow up, predictable regulations, and stable policy settings remain crucial to investor confidence. Nonetheless, the website is being viewed as a positive step toward improving accessibility and providing investors with more certainty and clarity from the outset.
The launch also aligns with increased efforts to support domestic entrepreneurs, who equally rely on access to accurate information and guidance when expanding or formalising their operations.
Main image: Director of the Foreign Investment Division Mrs Lynette Dawheya speaking at the website launch in October. (Picture courtesy: Solomon Star).
