WHAT WAS THE REGIONAL ASSISTANCE MISSION TO THE SOLOMON ISLANDS?

* Australian-led peacekeeping mission involving 15 countries to restore law and order that spanned 14 years.

* The Pacific Island nation was plagued with lawlessness, gang violence and ethnic tensions between people from the provinces of Guadalcanal and Malaita which started to simmer from 1998. At least 200 people had been killed, 18,000 Malaitans displaced and thousands more on Guadalcanal.

* Public institutions were in crisis. For example, prison officers had opened the jail doors and walked off.

* RAMSI also helped stabilise government finances, start economic recovery and rebuild institutions such as the national parliament, public service and electoral body.

TIMEFRAME

* RAMSI began in July 2003, at the request of the Solomon Islands government which was near collapse along with the archipelago's economy.

* Former prime minister John Howard was willing to help out in order to avoid a "failed state" on Australia's doorstep, show regional leadership and prevent trans-national crime and a terrorist safe haven taking hold.

* The surrender of warlord Harold Keke was an important breakthrough in mid-August 2003.

* Since mid-2013, RAMSI has been solely a policing mission.

KEY STATISTICS

* 7200 Australian military personnel served under the mission, alongside troops from New Zealand, Tonga and Papua New Guinea.

* More than 1700 Australian Federal Police were deployed.

* A gun amnesty recovered more than 3700 illegal weapons.

* RAMSI made 6300 arrests for militant and criminal activity, representing over one per cent of the population and including more than 130 police officers in its first three years.

CONTROVERSIES

* Former Solomon Islands attorney-general Julian Moti was deported to Australia to face child sex charges in 2007. The Australian High Court later ruled the deportation was illegal and the charges should be dropped.

* Eight Australian Federal Police officers were injured following violent protests in the capital Honiara after the 2006 election when Snyder Rini became prime minister. A rival candidate's supporters took to the streets claiming the poll was rigged. The riots targeted Chinatown over the close links between Rini and a Chinese-born businessman. Rini later resigned and Manasseh Sogavare replaced him.

FATALITIES

* Australian Protective Service officer Adam Dunning, 26, died after he was shot twice in the back on a night patrol in Honiara.

* Australian Private Jamie Clarke, 22, died after falling into a cave shaft while searching for a weapons stash during a bush patrol

* Antonio (Tony) Luciano Scriva, Solomon Islands Office of the Auditor General, died in 2007.

* Chief Inspector Amos Solip, Vanuatu Police Force, died in 2009.

* Constable Sisiliah (Sisi) Puleheloto, Niue Police, died in 2009.

* Ronald (Ronnie) Edwin Lewis - Australian Federal Police, died 2010.

WHY IS RAMSI WRAPPING UP?

* Its mission has been accomplished.

* 66 Australian Federal Police Officers, 17 from NZ and 17 from Pacific island countries will clock off from their RAMSI deployment at month's end.

COST?

* Australia chipped in 95 per cent of the cost. Australia spent an estimated $2.8 billion on leading the RAMSI operation.

WHAT NEXT?

* The May federal budget allocated $79 million over four years to a police development program.

* Australia's aid budget to the Solomon Islands for 2017-18 is $92.7 million.

ABOUT THE SOLOMON ISLANDS

* Population about 600,000

* 1000 islands

* 63 distinct languages. English is the official language but Solomons Pijin spoken by the majority of people.

* Ranks 156/192 on the United Nations Human Development Index.

* Rates of violence against women are among the highest in the world. An estimated two-thirds of women aged 15-49 have experienced physical or sexual violence.

* Gross Domestic Product per capita is among the lowest in the Pacific $US2,000 ($A2,644) and has only now recovered to levels before RAMSI.

* The Solomon Islands was the scene of one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific against the Japanese during the Second World War - the Battle of Guadalcanal, which was a major turning point in the war. The 75th anniversary is in August.

* Solomon Islands gained independence from Britain in 1978.

(Sources: Lowy Institute Jenny Hayward-Jones, ASPI, Development Policy Centre, DFAT, Defence, RAMSI special coordinator Quinton Devlin)

Originally posted here:

Solomon Islands rescue mission explained - NEWS.com.au