PINA

The COVID19 crisis was a wake-up call for many Pacific Island Countries to enhance their social security systems. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), its 14 Pacific Developing Member Countries (PMDCs) were quick to respond to the global health crisis in 2020 by declaring states of emergency, drawing up contingency plans, implementing health protocols, closing borders and undertaking mass...

Thousands of kilometres away from the Pacific, an oil rig in the North Sea operates under the flag of Vanuatu. In the Black Sea, a drilling rig hired by Canada’s Trillion Energy as part of its natural gas campaign is also flagged by Vanuatu. Offshore supply vessels sailing the Gulf of Mexico, West Africa and the Oman Gulf have Vanuatu’s capital,...

Defence ministers from several Asian and Pacific States are scheduled to meet in New Caledonia for two days during the first week of December, French Armed Forces in New Caledonia (FANC) commander, General Yann Latil announced at the weekend, adding that French Defence minister Sebastien Lecornu is also scheduled to attend. The high-level meeting would also see the attendance of...

The Pacific ACP Trade Officials meeting began today in Suva. The meeting brings together Pacific members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) to discuss sustainable development issues as well as cooperation and engagement with the European Union. Discussions include Regional Trade and Investment Landscape, regional trade agreements and trade opportunities with the U.S and other trading partners. While...

The Cook Islands Government as current Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and host of the 52nd PIF Leaders Meeting (PIFLM52), is pleased to promote the Pacific Partnerships for Prosperity (PPfP) Pavilion to be held from 07 – 09 November 2023 at the Punanga Nui Market in Rarotonga. In keeping with the theme for PIFLM52 of “Our Voices, Our...

Power transitioned from the Vanuatu Government to the Opposition in Parliament during the Fifth Extraordinary Session convened to debate the motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Sato Kilman, Monday. The opposition held 26 MPs against the government’s 24, with only two government MPs, Esmon Saimon from Vanua’aku Pati (VP) representing Malekula, and Wesley Rasu from Malo constituency, present during...

A deadline of strategic importance for Washington passed without a breakthrough on Saturday night. As lawmakers remained occupied with averting a federal government shutdown just hours before a midnight deadline, the Compact of Free Association (Cofa) pact that had steered ties between Washington and the Marshall Islands for decades expired on 30 September. No public announcement has been made on the...

A new report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) today delves into the current evidence of trafficking, risk areas, and frameworks and responses to human trafficking in the Pacific Island countries. Covering Micronesia, Fiji, Palau, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands and Tonga, the report finds that the Pacific Island countries are vulnerable to the exploitation and...

The Vanuatu Government has boycotted Parliament forcing an adjournment until Friday due to a lack of a quorum. The extraordinary sitting was called to debate a motion-of-no-confidence in prime minister Sato Kilman with the opposition claiming to have the support of 27 MPs to the government's 24. The boycott on Monday effectively buys Kilman's camp more time to lobby support especially...

Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says the U.S-Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting is a critical platform to hold one-on-one interactions with President Joe Biden and address national issues. This marked Rabuka’s first participation in the summit since taking office, and he described it as an enlightening experience. The Prime Minister said the Leaders’ Summit in Washington reflected how far Fiji and...