weighted score 4.7 · nine dimensions
Country Risk Profile
Solomon Islands
Sourcing risk, regulatory exposure and audit intelligence for Solomon Islands-origin supply chains.
Forced & child labour
4
Logging sector forced labour concerns documented. Child labour in agriculture reported. Foreign-owned logging companies have weak labour oversight. TVPRA-relevant.
Worker rights & FOA
4
Freedom of association technically permitted. Union activity very limited. Logging and mining workers have weak protections. Informal economy dominates.
OHS & audit transparency
5
Logging sector OHS poor. Mining operations intermittent. Audit infrastructure non-existent. Third-party access difficult in remote logging areas.
Food & product safety
4
Limited food processing exports. Fisheries have basic standards. Agricultural exports minimal. No significant food safety certification infrastructure.
Environmental & regulatory
5
Unsustainable logging rates — primary EUDR concern. Deforestation significant. Environmental enforcement capacity minimal. Marine ecosystems under pressure from logging runoff.
Governance & anti-corruption
5
CPI 44. Logging concession corruption endemic. Mining permits opaque. Political instability structural. China security pact adds geopolitical compliance layer.
Tariff & preferential access
4
LDC EBA provides duty-free EU access. But practical trade flows are China-dominated. Western market access underutilised due to compliance gaps.
Non-tariff barriers
5
EUDR creates major non-tariff barrier for timber. SPS capacity minimal. Traceability gaps prevent compliant market access. Development partner assistance limited.
Supply chain traceability
6
Timber traceability very poor — no credible chain of custody at scale. Logging concessions lack mapping. Fisheries have basic vessel monitoring. Overall traceability infrastructure minimal.
Labour & Governance
Labour & Governance
- Forced labour risk
- Logging sector has documented concerns about exploitative labour practices, particularly involving foreign-owned logging companies. TVPRA lists Solomon Islands timber as produced with forced labour concerns. Child labour in agriculture and domestic work reported.
- Governance
- CPI score of 44 (2025) reflects significant corruption, concentrated in logging concessions and mining permits. PM Manele survived no-confidence motion. Political instability is structural — coalition building relies on patronage.
- Logging sector corruption
- Endemic corruption in logging concessions is well-documented. Foreign logging companies (predominantly Malaysian and Chinese-owned) operate with limited oversight. Revenue from logging licences frequently diverted from landowner communities.
Trade Access & Regulatory
Trade Access & Regulatory
- LDC EBA access
- Solomon Islands retains LDC status, providing Everything But Arms duty-free access to the EU. This is significant for any future compliant timber or agricultural exports.
- EUDR implications
- Solomon Islands' timber sector faces major EUDR compliance challenges. Unsustainable logging rates, weak governance, and limited traceability mean timber exports are high-risk under EU deforestation regulation due diligence requirements.
- China trade dominance
- China is the largest trade partner — primarily importing raw logs. The 2022 security pact and diplomatic alignment with China create compliance complexity for Western-aligned supply chains.