PINA

The New Zealand Government has decided against cutting its current foreign aid to Kiribati, following a review sparked by a diplomatic stoush between Foreign Minister Winston Peters and the island nation’s president. However, the review’s exact findings and ramifications for future development programmes – as well as its initial terms of reference – remain a secret as discussions continue between...

The Pentagon plans to invest US$2 billion in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) to build more projects that would enable U.S forces to operate in the Pacific island nation, the Department of Defence said. The U.S and the FSM have reached a mutual understanding to proceed with the construction of previously authoriSed U.S-funded infrastructure projects in Yap. “These projects will...

Climate-vulnerable island states say they are being trapped “between a rock and a hard place” by the European Union – led by the Netherlands and Denmark – after the bloc engaged in discussions on a proposal to clean up the global shipping industry that islands regard as ineffective and unjust. On the sidelines of Singapore Maritime Week last Wednesday, representatives...

The Australian opposition leader has confirmed he will ditch Labor's plan to co-host a global United Nations climate change meeting with the Pacific if he wins the election, labelling the idea “madness”. Peter Dutton has also claimed that Australian taxpayers would have to pay “tens of billions” to host the event, a figure vastly higher than experts say it would...

Pacific nations, including Fiji, must ratify the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement(BBNJ). This will increase international cooperation to protect oceans beyond national control. Senior Advisor at the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner (OPOC), Peni Suveinakama, said it’s vital for reversing ocean damage. He said the BBNJ agreement includes provisions for inclusive ocean management, such as traditional knowledge and indigenous participation. “The BBNJ...

U.S Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has reaffirmed the United States is committed to defending the Pacific territories of Guam and Northern Mariana Islands and said any attack on them would be an attack on the mainland. Hegseth touched down in Guam from Hawaii last Thursday as part of a regional tour, his first as defence secretary, in which he is...

By Dr Transform Aqorau For decades, the Pacific Islands region has been heavily reliant on donor funding to support development, governance, and capacity-building initiatives. While donor support has played a role in strengthening institutions, it has also created a dependency cycle where many regional organisations struggle to be financially independent and responsive to the real needs of Pacific communities. As someone...

Ministers from 40 countries met on Wednesday at the first major climate forum of 2025 to discuss progress in renewable energy generation and the rising toll of inaction over rising temperatures. 2025 marks a milestone: the tenth anniversary of the Paris Agreement and the deadline for countries to submit their updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), designed to keep the global...

The United States will fortify the Indo-Pacific with the “most lethal fighting force in the world,” Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said, outlining the Trump administration’s defence policy for the region. “No one should question the resolve of the United States of America to defend our interests in the Indo-Pacific and beyond,” Hegseth said Tuesday in Hawaii during the first leg...

Micronesian President Wesley Simina has expressed confidence in Japan’s treatment of radioactive water being dumped from the disabled Fukushima Daiichi power plant into the Pacific Ocean. “The visit to Fukushima underscores the FSM’s deep trust in the government of Japan,” Simina said after touring the power plant during his visit to Japan this month. Japan’s Tokyo Electric Power Company has been...