PINA

The upcoming regional Forum Leaders Meeting led the agenda for the first visit of Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, Baron Waqa to Tonga this week. In his first official visit on Wednesday with Tonga Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, SG Waqa shared his key priorities for regionalism with the incoming Forum Chair. This was followed by a formal call this morning...

Nearly five years after the islanders of remote Bougainville voted decisively in a referendum for independence from Papua New Guinea (PNG), local frustrations are rising as the political process falters. More than 97 percent of voters in the autonomous island region of about 300,000 people, in eastern PNG, chose independence over greater autonomy in a 2019 referendum. But there cannot...

The climate crisis and the humanitarian crisis are “two in one,” said Emeline Siale Ilolahia, Executive Director of the Pacific Islands Association of Non-Governmental Organisations(PIANGO), speaking to United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on the sidelines of UN Economic and Social Council's(ECOSOC) Humanitarian Affairs Segment (HAS). “We need to continue making the connections,” she said. But...

Fisheries and Forestry Minister Kalaveti Ravu will be appearing in the Sigatoka Magistrates Court this afternoon. He has been charged by Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC). Along with him, Regional Manager North Tekata Toaisi faces the same charge. It is believed the charges relate to abuse of office.

Three years after its groundbreaking ceremony, the Centre for Agriculture Technology Transfer (CATT) officially opened in Nausori, leading a new era for Fiji’s agriculture. Despite delays due to the pandemic, the centre is set to transform local farming practices, with a strong emphasis on reducing carbon emissions and fostering sustainable growth. Dr Charles Li, Secretary-General of the Taiwan International Cooperation and...

Lower costs of cocaine production have led to falling street prices and increased use of the controlled drug, says a flagship report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), released on Wednesday. The World Drugs Report also includes data on the impacts of cannabis legalization and advocates for an approach to drug use that lays an emphasis on...

The new prime minister of the Solomon Islands said Wednesday that his visits to Australia and China are focussed on creating jobs in the developing South Pacific island nation. Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele met his counterpart Anthony Albanese in the Australian capital of Canberra, during his first overseas trip since being elected last month. Manele will next visit China, and...

A jubilant Julian Assange has embraced his wife Stella on his emotional return to Australia as a free man and convicted US criminal. Assange arrived in wintry Canberra accompanied by U.S ambassador Kevin Rudd and UK High Commissioner Stephen Smith. After more than a day of travel and a court hearing in Saipan he raised his fist as he emerged from...

The Pacific Islands leaders are set to meet in Tokyo next month, 16 - 18 July, for the tenth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting 2024 (PALM10), with the Government of Japan. Tongan Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku will attend the meeting. PALM is a summit meeting held every three years since 1997 with the aim of contributing to regional stability and to strengthen the...

The effect of climate change on vulnerable populations among the Pacific Island nations was the subject of “Oceania Speaks,” a conference held in Rome this week attended by the Holy See diplomatic corps, religious communities, and charitable organiSations. Organised by the Australian Embassy to the Holy See, the 23 June event aimed at raising awareness of the impacts of climate...