## Solomon Islands: Selected Issues

_IMF Staff Country Reports, May 11, 2023_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Solomon Islands: Selected Issues](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2023/05/11/solomon-islands-selected-issues-533281)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/publications/cr/issues/2023/05/11/solomon-islands-selected-issues-533281/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/publications/cr/issues/2023/05/11/solomon-islands-selected-issues-533281/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/publications/cr/issues/2023/05/11/solomon-islands-selected-issues-533281/bundle-manifest.json)

## Bibliographic details
- Published: May 11, 2023
- Series: IMF Staff Country Reports
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9798400241482.002

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### Summary
- This Selected Issues paper on Solomon Island discusses big data and high frequency surveillance for Pacific Islands countries (PICs).
- Big data can be used to fill data gaps for PICs and the IMF can serve as a capacity-building and innovation hub.
- The estimators computed based on AIS data have been used as part of the surveillance dashboard by the Solomon Islands team and have been discussed with the authorities.
- Initiatives like the Arslanalp, Koepke, and Verschuur estimation exploit cross-country synergies and technical expertise available at the IMF to provide valuable inputs for both internal and external use.

### Key findings and applications of AIS-based estimators
- AIS-based estimators have practical use in country surveillance and have been integrated into the Solomon Islands team’s surveillance dashboard.
- AIS data’s global coverage enables analysis beyond single-country applications, such as global supply chains, trade disruptions from natural disasters, and the effect of trade policies.
- Single-country AIS applications cited include:
  - Monitoring of fishing vessels to estimate fishing rents from daily vessel schemes.
  - Monitoring export-related ships to detect piracy/exports misreporting.
  - Tracking tourism in real time.

### Initiatives and methodological contributions
- The paper highlights IMF-exploited initiatives and estimators, including:
  - Arslanalp estimation.
  - Koepke estimation.
  - Verschuur estimation.
- These initiatives leverage cross-country synergies and IMF technical expertise to produce inputs for internal and external use.

### Policy relevance and capacity building
- The IMF can act as a capacity-building and innovation hub to help PICs use big data and high-frequency surveillance tools.
- Engagement with authorities has occurred through discussion of AIS-based estimator outputs incorporated into surveillance tools.

### Subjects and keywords
- Subject: Agroindustries, COVID-19, Economic sectors, Exports, Health, Imports, International organization, International trade, Monetary policy, Trade balance
- Keywords: Agroindustries, COVID-19, D. trade flow, export volume, Exports, Global, Honiara port activity, import volume, Imports, Island port activity, Pacific Islands, Trade balance

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## Content in this bundle

- **Solomon Islands: Selected Issues; IMF Country Report No. 23/163; April 10, 2023**
  - [Solomon Islands: Selected Issues; IMF Country Report No. 23/163; April 10, 2023 (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/publications/cr/2023/english/1slbea2023002.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
  - [Solomon Islands: Selected Issues; IMF Country Report No. 23/163; April 10, 2023 (PDF)](/-/media/files/publications/cr/2023/english/1slbea2023002.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}

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_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2023/05/11/solomon-islands-selected-issues-533281_