Manasseh Sogavare, the Solomon Islands prime minister who drew his nation close to China, sharpening the United States' focus on the strategic importance of the Pacific Islands, has bowed out of the race for leader after an inconclusive election.
Visiting Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare speaks during a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Monday, July 10, 2023.
Solomon Islands lawmakers will vote for a prime minister on Thursday, and Sogavare's party, which lost half its seats, has nominated former Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele as its candidate. Lowy Institute research fellow Mihai Sora, a former Australian diplomat in the Solomon Islands, said Sogavare has been a polarising figure, and "a lightning rod for international scrutiny, which also put a great deal of pressure on the national government".
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