PINA

Vanuatu and a coalition of nations including four international organisations presented their legal perspectives on state responsibility in addressing climate change during the International Tribunal for the Law of Sea (ITLOS) public hearings, which has commenced this week in Germany. The hearings are in response to the request of an Advisory Opinion (AO) submitted by the Commission of Small Island...

New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “The Forum is the core platform...

Firearms that are being used in the upper Papua New Guinea Highlands especially in tribal clashes are brought in allegedly from Australia by illegal trading along the border of Indonesia and PNG. Over 200,000 firearms are unregistered in Australia, and some of these weapons are finding their way into tribal fights. And the route these firearms travel is from Indonesia into...

Fiji's Parliament has unanimously endorsed the ratification of the World Trade Organisation’s fisheries subsidies agreement – in a historical bi-partisan move rarely seen in the Pacific nation. The agreement will enter into force once two-thirds of the WTO's 164 members have ratified it. Fiji's former Trade Minister and Opposition MP, Faiyaz Koya told Parliament the ratification reflects commitment and leadership by...

Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers will meet in Fiji this week for their annual discussions on the key regional priorities for the Blue Pacific region. The Meeting on 15 September will be chaired by the host Chair of the upcoming Forum Leaders Meeting in the Cook Islands, Prime Minister Mark Brown. One of the key priorities for deliberation will be the...

Retired University of South Pacific (USP) lecturer, Dr Joeli Veitayaki says policies and international agreements must not remain meaningless on paper but must actively improve the lives of rural communities, who are frequently marginalised. In his presentation at the inaugural Pacific Conference on Ocean Science and Management in Nadi, Dr Veitayaki also stressed on the importance of traditional knowledge when...

Papua New Guinea National Court Judge Panuel Mogish has called on police commissioner David Manning to enforce strict protocols on police officers on the issue of State-issued firearms to eradicate abuse. “Improper use of firearm by police officers, resulting in death, only tarnish the image of the constabulary,” he said. “For the police officers, it could mean an imprisonment sentence and...

The tuna industry alone has provided over 15,000 formal jobs for Papua New Guineans, of which 68 percent are filled by women, says National Fisheries Authority (NFA) managing director Justin Ilakini. These numbers are from the six tuna canneries – RD Tuna Canners Limited, Frabelle PNG Ltd, Majestic Seafood Corporation Ltd, Nambawan Seafoods PNG Ltd, International Food Corporation Ltd and...

The Wallabies are preparing for a physical - and emotional - onslaught in their crucial Rugby World Cup pool clash against the Pacific islanders. Fiji are expected to enter the Saint-Etienne match on Sunday (Monday AEST) breathing fire after they fell short against Wales in their opening pool game. The Fijians rallied from a 32-14 deficit, scoring twice in the last...

The Wallabies will be on high alert after Fiji's narrow Rugby World Cup loss to Wales according to former Australian international Stephen Hoiles. Fiji fell agonisingly short in their opening Pool C fixture, downed 32-26 in a thriller at Bordeaux. With the clock into overtime, a cut-out pass to Fiji winger Semi Radradra wound up with the former NRL player dropping...