Photo: RAMSI
Today marks the 12th anniversary of the arrival of the Australia-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands.
The force was deployed in 2003 to restore law and order and confidence in government after five years of 'ethnic tensions' during which hundreds of people were killed, and thousands forced to flee their homes.
The military and frontline element of the mission wound down two years ago, and RAMSI now exists in a purely advisory role to the Solomon Islands police force.
Its special coordinator, Justine Braithwaite, says significant progress has been made in the force in recent years, but it still faces many challenges including resource constraints and logistical difficulties.
She says RAMSI is now working with the Solomon Islands government to work out the country's future security needs after the mission's funding ends in mid-2017.
