Honiara, Solomon Islands: A two-day workshop convening provincial technical officers and national ministry representatives was held on Monday and Tuesday in Honiara. The event aimed to strengthen planning and reporting mechanisms to better align with the national reporting framework and to demonstrate provincial governments’ contributions towards achieving the targets of the National Development Strategy (NDS) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in service delivery across the provinces.

The initiative formed part of the Provincial Governance and Service Delivery (PGSD) Project, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by the European Union, which seeks to enhance provincial-level governance through targeted technical assistance.

Titled the “Reporting Alignment and Strengthening Reporting Mechanism Workshop”, the event was part of a broader effort to empower provincial governments and harmonise their reporting systems with national development priorities—particularly in the health and education sectors. The workshop addressed gaps in reporting structures, promoted the effective use of tools, and finalised the external monitoring framework to improve coordination and accountability across government levels.

Participants included staff from the Ministries of Health and Medical Services (MHMS), Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD), National Planning, and Provincial Government, alongside PGSD provincial focal points and student representatives from various Provincial Students Associations.

In his remarks, Mozammel Haque, UNDP Project Manager, underscored the critical role of provincial engagement in delivering effective services:

“For provincial governance to have meaningful impact, it must be rooted in the realities faced at the provincial level. This workshop was about listening to those on the ground, building their capacity, and ensuring reporting tools and processes are better aligned with national ministry indicators to demonstrate the results of provincial service delivery interventions. Strengthening these systems is a vital step in building trust and ensuring sustainable development outcomes.”

The workshop also fostered practical interaction between provincial planners, engineers, education and health officers, and the communities they serve—encouraging collaborative solutions and locally grounded priorities.

Echoing this sentiment, Miss Aloma O. Maekera, M&E Officer for the Ministry of Health’s RWASH Unit, stated:

“We cannot improve health outcomes if reporting doesn’t reflect what is happening at the grassroots level. By aligning provincial data with national monitoring frameworks, we ensure that every dollar spent is translated into tangible improvements for our communities—especially in critical areas like WASH.”

Day one of the workshop focused on aligning national and provincial reporting practices, with presentations from sector ministries and identification of gaps in current reporting and inter-ministry collaboration that hinder accurate reporting of results on the ground. Day two centred on updating project data and finalising the external monitoring framework in line with national sector strategies.

The PGSD Project continues to work with all nine provinces in Solomon Islands, supporting service delivery in health and education while building provincial capacity to plan, implement, and report on key development priorities.

For more information please contact:

Daniel C. Gonzalez, Communications Analyst, UNDP Solomon Islands Office, daniel.calderon.gonzalez@undp.org