Handover Ceremony: “The Project for the Procurement of Secondhand Fire Trucks for Honiara City and Three Provinces in Solomon Islands” under Grand Assistance for Grass-roots Projects
2026/6/15
On 15th June, a handover ceremony took place at the Fire and Rescue Services headquarters at Central Police Station in Honiara for "The Project for the Procurement of Secondhand Fire Trucks for Honiara City and Three Provinces in Solomon Islands ", funded under the Government of Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Project.
Under this project, three Japanese secondhand fire trucks have been provided to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Fire and Rescue Service. One of them will be deployed in Honiara City in Guadalcanal Province, one in Auki in Malaita Province, and one in Gizo in Western Province. This initiative aims to expedite firefighting and life-saving operations during fires and accidents in the target areas, thereby contributing to the strengthening Solomon Islands’ ability in disaster prevention and rescue systems.
In his remarks, Ambassador HIGUCHI expressed his gratitude to all those involvedin making this project into reality. He noted that Japan has long sought ways to support life-saving activities in Solomon Islands and emphasized that the handover of these fire trucks marks a new milestone in the strong partnership between Japan and Solomon Islands. Furthermore, Ambassador HIGUCHI urged for the proper maintenance of the vehicles to ensure they continue to provide reliable service for many years to come, stating his hope that their effective utilization will contribute to safer, faster, and more reliable emergency responses.
RSIPF Supervising Director for Fire and Rescue Services, Mr James Ketaru expressed his profound gratitude for the generous support provided by the Fire Department of Gojome Town, Akita Prefecture and the Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture. He emphasized that the donation of these fire trucks will be a significant pillar of support for firefighters in fulfilling the RSIPF Fire and Rescue Service's objectives and mission of saving lives, protecting property, and providing humanitarian services. He further highlighted that this donation will dramatically improve the department's mobility and operational readiness to respond to fires and emergencies occurring throughout the country.
Under this project, three Japanese secondhand fire trucks have been provided to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Fire and Rescue Service. One of them will be deployed in Honiara City in Guadalcanal Province, one in Auki in Malaita Province, and one in Gizo in Western Province. This initiative aims to expedite firefighting and life-saving operations during fires and accidents in the target areas, thereby contributing to the strengthening Solomon Islands’ ability in disaster prevention and rescue systems.
In his remarks, Ambassador HIGUCHI expressed his gratitude to all those involvedin making this project into reality. He noted that Japan has long sought ways to support life-saving activities in Solomon Islands and emphasized that the handover of these fire trucks marks a new milestone in the strong partnership between Japan and Solomon Islands. Furthermore, Ambassador HIGUCHI urged for the proper maintenance of the vehicles to ensure they continue to provide reliable service for many years to come, stating his hope that their effective utilization will contribute to safer, faster, and more reliable emergency responses.
RSIPF Supervising Director for Fire and Rescue Services, Mr James Ketaru expressed his profound gratitude for the generous support provided by the Fire Department of Gojome Town, Akita Prefecture and the Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture. He emphasized that the donation of these fire trucks will be a significant pillar of support for firefighters in fulfilling the RSIPF Fire and Rescue Service's objectives and mission of saving lives, protecting property, and providing humanitarian services. He further highlighted that this donation will dramatically improve the department's mobility and operational readiness to respond to fires and emergencies occurring throughout the country.