Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela has launched the Young Entrepreneurs Council Solomon Islands (YECSI) on Friday, October 12 2018 at the Mendana Hotel in Honiara.

YECSI is a joint initiative between the Government through the Ministry of Women Youth Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA) and the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI).  YECSI is a Policy Priority Outcome: Economic Empowerment of the National Youth Policy 2017-2030 and is co-funded by MWYCFA.

Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela during the launching said YECSI is one of the first successful examples of an innovative Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative under the government’s PPP policy.

He says the establishment of YECSI, under the auspices of SICCI in partnership with the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) demonstrates this PPP approach.

The SIG partners on the YECSI Advisory Committee include the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA), Ministry of Commerce Industry, Labour and Immigration (MCILI), Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT), Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) and the National Youth Congress (NYC) and the Youth@Work programme.

YECSI is a body that will assist in the promotion, development and provision of dedicated support services to young entrepreneurs in Solomon Islands. YECSI will bring young entrepreneurs together to be part of a larger group of entrepreneurs.

It will support young entrepreneurs in a range of areas including mentoring, coaching, business planning and facilitating business trainings where possible.

A huge part of YECSI mandate is to undertake advocacy on behalf of young entrepreneurs aimed at unlocking legislative and policy constraints that are holding back opportunities for young Solomon Islanders.

YECSI currently has 60 members based in or operating in Malaita, Western, Renbel, Makira, Isabel and Honiara.