PINA

New Zealand is easing visa restrictions for visitors from Pacific Island nations, the New Zealand foreign affairs and immigration ministers announced on Friday. From early July visitors from Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) countries, who apply for a visitor visa for Aotearoa, may be eligible for a multi-entry visa. This would allow them to visit New Zealand as many times as they...

Pacific Climate Warriors Thursday joined the largest mobilisation of Indigenous peoples in Brazil, and handed a strongly worded letter from civil society to the COP30 Presidency, emphasising demands for the end of fossil fuels and a just energy transition. Ahead of the UN climate negotiations in Brazil in November, the letter was received by COP30 President, André Corrêa do Lago,...

Tuvalu Prime Minister and chair the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS), Feleti Teo didn’t hold back Thursday as he opened the Oceans Ministers meeting in Suva—warning that the ocean sustaining island nations is now the threat that could drown them. “Thanks for the opportunity to provide some remarks in this opening session in my capacity as the current chair...

Bougainville's position is clear — our people voted for independence as defined in the referendum ballot paper, and that is the only model we are here to discuss. This was the firm message delivered by the Vice President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Patrick Nisira, on behalf of the President, in the closing remarks at the second Joint Moderation...

ABG President Ishmael Toroama Thursday thanked the Papua New Guinea Government for acknowledging Bougainville’s right to self-determination and emphasised that the outcome of the referendum must now be implemented in good faith. Speaking during the Second Joint Moderation Meeting in Port Moresby Thursday, President Toroama reaffirmed Bougainville’s firm commitment to independence and called on all parties, including the National Government...

By Jane McAdam The details of a new visa enabling Tuvaluan citizens to permanently migrate to Australia were released this week. The visa was created as part of a bilateral treaty Australia and Tuvalu signed in late 2023, which aims to protect the two countries’ shared interests in security, prosperity and stability, especially given the “existential threat posed by climate change”. The...

Former Manu Samoa playmaker and captain Lemalu Tusiata Pisi, has been named the new Manu Samoa Head Coach. In making the announcement today, Lakapi Samoa said this exciting new chapter for Samoan rugby follows Lemalu’s recent role as an assistant coach in last year’s international windows, including the Pacific Nations Cup 2024, and the 2023 Rugby World Cup. He gets into...

Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa today welcomed Ocean ministers from the region in their first ever meeting as they chart their course towards the upcoming third UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France. The Pacific Ocean Ministers Preparatory Meeting for the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference this week, Waqa said should consider how the Pacific positions itself not just as a...

Solomon Islands Government of National Unity and Transformation (GNUT) will reintroduce the Constitutional Amendment Constituent Assembly Sitting Bill in Parliament. The bill, in its previous form, seeks to amend the provision on the date for the convening of the Constituent Assembly from 31st December 2024 to 31st December 2026. It was not passed in parliament last year after failing to secure...

Over two days of rich dialogue and exchange this week, Pacific governments, civil society, youth, and community leaders came together in a series of thematic sessions, including five talanoa sessions and a consultation on draft General Recommendation No. 41 on gender stereotypes, as part of the Pacific Technical Cooperation Session of the Committee on the Convention on the Elimination...