RAMSI not leaving Solomons till June 2017

The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands says it will not be leaving the country until June next year.

The mission's special coordinator made the distinction after a Pacific Islands Forum meeting last week alluded to the mission being decommissioned in September.

Quinton Devlin says this is not the case, saying that the Forum Leaders' meeting in September will simply be an opportunity to consider the progress achieved by Solomon Islands.

He says the Forum's announcement in September would be a mere formality before the Australian-led mission leaves Solomon Islands next June, after 14 years.

Last week's meeting was an annual Forum check on RAMSI's performance, where officials shared their plans and priorities with forum representatives.