PINA

Papua New Guineans have a chance to be recruited to join the Australian military, said Prime Minister James Marape. Returning to Port Moresby from the Kokoda Track, Northern Province, with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, Marape appeared in good spirits as he spoke on the walk he and Albanese completed. He said the walk was a good opportunity to discuss the...

The Guam National Guard will help Palau prepare for and respond to future disasters, with both governments announcing a newly signed state partnership Monday. The U.S has been making efforts to strengthen security ties with Palau and other strategically important nations across Micronesia amid Chinese efforts to influence the region and tensions over Taiwan. “We are stronger together is what I...

Today at INC4 over two dozen countries have signed on to the Bridge to Busan Declaration. Launched at the Plastics Treaty negotiations, it invigorates the call for sustainable production levels of primary plastic polymers. Now open for countries and stakeholders to sign up, the Bridge to Busan Declaration amplifies their concern about the many harms of plastic pollution to human...

As the clock ticks towards the final hours of the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-4) in Ottawa Canada, attention has turned to intersessional work required between the INC-4 and INC-5 in Korea, to support the further development of a plastics pollution...

Countries are for the first time considering restrictions on the global production of plastic – to reduce it by 40 percent in 15 years – in an attempt to protect human health and the environment. As the world attempts to make a treaty to cut plastic waste at UN talks in Ottawa, Canada, two countries have put forward the first...

Solomon Islands Caretaker Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, has passed on the leadership of the Parliamentary Wing of OUR Party to Prime Ministerial candidate, Jeremiah Manele. Speaking at a press briefing Monday night, Sogavare announced his decision to hand over the reins to Manele, who currently serves as the Member of Parliament elect for Hograno/Kia/Katova/Havulei. “It is with great honor and privilege...

Fiji and Australia’s renewed and elevated Vuvale Partnership will be further strengthened this week through the first official visit to Fiji by the Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific, and Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy. During the two-day (Tuesday 30 April to Wednesday 01 May 2024) visit to Fiji, Minister Conroy will have a bilateral meeting with...

The human rights record of Vanuatu will be examined by the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group for the fourth time on Thursday, 02 May 2024, in a meeting in Geneva. Vanuatu is one of 14 States to be reviewed by the UPR Working Group during its upcoming session from 29 April to 10 May...

The International Labour Organisation (ILO), reports ongoing challenges within the Pacific job market, despite resilient growth. The Pacific Tripartite High-Level Dialogue on Decent Work and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent meeting in Fiji last week saw the release of the Pacific Employment and Social Monitor for April 2024. The report notes that unemployment rates have reverted to pre-pandemic...

By Paul Chen, Representative Taipei Trade Office in Fiji As the world experienced the years of COVID-19 pandemic, it is of paramount importance that we join forces to combat and learn this global public health emergency. Taiwan has been a pivotal partner in the fight against COVID-19 and other diseases in the world as well, generously sharing its best practices...