PINA

Café operators surrounding the venue for a Pacific Islands Forum gathering at the National Auditorium are anticipating patron numbers will reach those of peak tourism season during the event. With more than 500 Pacific leaders and delegates converging on the Cook Islands for the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting next week, the event is “good timing” for a hospitality...

By Nic Maclellan in Rarotonga, Cook Islands As the region faces an El Nino summer and Vanuatu reels from the devastation of Cyclone Lola – the third Category 5 cyclone to hit the nation in seven months – it’s no surprise that climate change is high on the agenda at this year’s Pacific Islands Forum. Prime Ministers and Presidents from...

By Ralph Regenvanu The Pacific Islands Forum this week will bring together nations who share what we call the Blue Pacific Continent, stretching from the hundreds of islands and atolls of Micronesia in the North all the way down to the Alpine like conditions of New Zealand’s Southern tip. Together, we are custodians of almost a fifth of the earth’s...

The Cook Islands is ready for the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting which starts on Monday, 06 - 10 November in Rarotonga. The host country expects 500 delegates, dialogue partners, civil society partners and media to attend the week-long meeting. The Cook Islands Prime Minister, Mark Brown wrote on his Facebook "Security is in place as I meet with the...

The elevation of long time Nauru politician David Adeang to the country's presidency is raising concerns in a number of areas. Adeang has become Nauru's fourth president in the past four years after winning election on Monday following the removal of Russell Kun in a vote of no confidence last week. His 22 years in parliament has seen him involved in...

Former Nauru President Russ Joseph Kun's ouster in a vote of no confidence was mainly due to “complicated domestic political disputes” despite the initiators of the motion being "China-friendly," an unnamed diplomatic source told reporters in Taiwan Tuesday. The source made the remarks after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Monday congratulated David Adeang after the senior Nauru parliamentarian...

Tropical Cyclone Lola has claimed at least two lives – one of them a pregnant woman – and caused widespread damage to hundreds of homes, schools, and food gardens in Vanuatu, the government said on Tuesday. More than 15,000 students have been impacted, the government said, with the category 5 super storm destroying classrooms across Ambae, Maewo and Pentecost islands. Vanuatu...

UNICEF is increasingly concerned for children’s wellbeing in the upcoming cyclone season. Following the recent out of season Tropical Cyclone Lola, many children have already experienced three Category 4 cyclones in 2023, and four severe cyclones (including a Category 5) in three years. Current predictions suggest from 8 to 14 cyclones could be on their way across the Pacific countries,...

The Commander of the Republic of Military Forces, Major General Ro Jone Kalouniwai says the RFMF is deeply concerned with the non-consultative approach taken by the Government of Fiji in its recent decision to disapprove the United Nations resolution on Gaza. In a statement, Major General Kalouniwai said it is disheartening to see a decision taken without due consideration for...

The Fijian Elections Office has referred the Minister for Sugar and Multi Ethnic Affairs, Charan Jeath Singh to the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) for probable breach of Section 114(1) of the Electoral Act 2014. Acting Supervisor of Elections, Ana Mataiciwa said a complaint was received on 24 October 2023 from a member of the public regarding the Facebook...