The Solomon Islands' prime minister Manasseh Sogavare has publicly declared his intention to apply for Papua New Guinea citizenship and settle in PNG when he retires.
Solomon Business Magazine reported Mr Sogavare made the statement while guest of honor at a recent dinner in Honiara celebrating PNG's 42nd independence day anniversary.
During the event Mr Sogavare declared he was a Papua New Guinean by birth.
Photo: RNZ/Koroi Hawkins
The magazine said his father, Loko Sogavare, was a pioneer Seventh-Day Adventist missionary from the Solomons Choiseul Province who served in PNG's remote Northern province in the 1950s.
Two of Mr Sogavare's five brothers were buried in PNG and he said he still had strong family connections to the country.
The prime minister said he was looking forward to introducing dual citizenship to Solomon Islands which would enable him to apply for PNG citizenship upon his retirement from politics.