Dinner organised for RSIPF-SWAT Team

The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) and Ministry of Police National Security and Correctional Services (MPNSC) have organized a welcome dinner for our RSIPF SWAT Team, who participated in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) SWAT Challenge in Dubai from 7 to 11 February 2026.

The dinner is organized to formally thank the RSIPF SWAT Team members for their participation with other countries around the world representing the Solomon Islands.

During the dinner, the CPLT commissioner and some members from the Chinese embassy in Honiara took part in the welcome dinner. The RSIPF executive was also part of the dinner to welcome our RSIPF SWAT team.

Acting Commissioner of the RSIPF, Mr. Mathias Lenialu, during the welcome dinner, said, "This evening we have come together not just to welcome and thank our officers who participated in the Dubai SWAT Challenge, but also to celebrate a milestone in the history of the RSIPF."

Acting Commissioner Lenialu said it is the first time the Solomon Islands flag has been raised at the AI Ruwayyah Training Facility in Dubai, standing alongside the elite tactical units of 48 nations.

Mr. Lenialu said you compete against teams with decades of experience and world-class facilities with specialized equipment. You face heat, the intensity of the tower challenge, and the high-pressure stakes of the obstacle course.

He said you did not just participate; you persevered and finished every discipline. Your performance showed to the world that Solomon Islands possesses the grit, the discipline, and the heart to stand on the world stage.

Permanent Secretary (PS) Ms. Karen Galokale, on behalf of the Hon. Minister of MPNSC, during the welcome dinner, said, “I am deeply honored to welcome you all to this special banquet in recognition of the outstanding achievement of our RSIPF SWAT Team participation at the SWAT Challenge in Dubai, UAE.

PS Galokale said tonight we gather not merely for a dinner but to celebrate a historic milestone for our country. For the first time, the Solomon Islands participated in one of the most demanding and high-level international SWAT competitions in the world.

Ms. Galokale said, "Competing alongside 109 elite tactical teams from countries with long-established and advanced SWAT capabilities, our team proudly participated. Achieving a ranking of 89th out of a total of 109 teams is an achievement that should not go unnoticed, particularly when it’s the first time for us to compete at that international level."

She said some may see this as just a number. But for us—as a small island nation and as the first country in the Pacific region to establish a SWAT capability—

this is a remarkable and historic achievement. It represents courage, commitment, discipline, and the willingness to step onto the world stage.

“I wish to formally convey the heartfelt congratulations of the Honourable Prime Minister, who was briefed on your participation and performance. He has extended to each and every one of you for successfully representing our nation at this global event,” said Galokale.