PINA

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Canberra wanted deeper ties with its Pacific neighbour Solomon Islands and a region where decisions are made “without fear”, as China also sent its envoy to Honiara to meet new Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele. Australia is the Solomon Islands biggest development partner, and had sent its second- and third-most senior government members to meet...

Stories of residents leaving their home island and labour shortages are common across Micronesia, island leaders said during a summit in Guam this week. Regional leaders put their heads together on how to tackle the issue during the 26th Micronesian Islands Forum, which took place on Monday and Tuesday. Loss of workers and residents to better opportunities in the U.S were...

Travel to, from and within Micronesia is “among the most expensive in the world,” according to island leaders gathered this week on Guam and pledged to make it their top priority as a group to take steps to lower airfare in the region. High airfare costs are a roadblock to economic improvement and increased tourism numbers, island leaders said as...

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visited the Fiji Police Detector Dog Unit Thursday, emphasising New Zealand’s commitment to assisting Fiji and the region in combating narcotics. Luxon highlighted the importance of investing in detector dogs as a critical tool in the fight against drug trafficking. He reiterated New Zealand’s support and the significance of regional cooperation in addressing this challenge. “The...

By Kimberley Bernard  At the bottom of the globe sit the island nations of Australia and the 15 Pacific Island countries – internationally recognised and globally loved for their relaxed way of life, connection to crystal clear waters, and abundant marine life. The waters of the South Pacific hold the stories of tens of thousands of years of history and cultural...

New Flying Fijians coach Mick Byrne has announced his 33-member squad for the upcoming June/July Test. Byrne, who recently took the helm as the national coach, expresses his enthusiasm about the selected team, despite the difficult process of narrowing down the initial list of 55 players to the final 33. He said they’ve got a good mix of players from the...

Fijian Drua coach Mick Byrne says a strong foundation has been laid for the future of the franchise, and he takes pride in reflecting on how far both he and the team have come. He said that while it’s going to be a busy period for him after the Super Rugby season, his energy and undivided attention is currently being...

The Micronesia Islands Forum (MIF) 2024 concluded Tuesday with leaders committing to unity to navigate the complex issues facing the region. Following two days of presentations on issues ranging from workforce development and transportation to energy, education, healthcare, digitisation, and cybersecurity, leaders agreed on the next order of business—establishing a secretary general. “Each of us leaders have recognised the need to...

The U.S government has agreed to allow U.S territories to join the Pacific Islands Forum(PIF) as non-voting associate members, modifying an old policy that previously barred their participation in international organisations in “any capacity.” Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week wrote to Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and CNMI Governor Arnold Palacios informing them that the U.S government has...

Palau Vice President Uduch Sengebau Senior called for an “enhanced organisational structure” and the inclusion of the American Pacific island territories in the larger Pacific Islands Forum. “What becomes clear is that the Micronesian Islands Forum(MIF) is rapidly emerging as a critical organisation for moving forward Micronesian issues both regionally and internationally,” Senior said in her closing remarks at the...