PINA

Fiji’s Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, has signalled a more “realistic” tone from the Pacific over Australian coal mining and gas production, saying fossil fuel industries and exports cannot be shut down immediately despite the impact on climate change. Following talks with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Wednesday, Rabuka recognised the importance of fossil fuel income, taxes and royalties...

UN Secretary General António GuterresGuterres has urged leaders “to ensure that projects deliver the green, sustainable infrastructure countries need to support people and ecosystems alike, while breaking free of failed development models that keep us hooked on fossil fuels.” Again, he saw two key areas where investments can help boost efforts towards sustainability and climate action. First, he underscored the need...

Fiji could delay opening its embassy in Israel, the Pacific Island nation's deputy prime minister said on Wednesday, amid fears the war between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas could destabilise the region. The conflict, which erupted on 07 October after Hamas fighters stormed into Israel, has inflamed tensions across the Middle East. Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned on 17 October of...

About 200 Australians and their family members are back in the country after leaving Israel and arriving on a government-assisted flight. A Qantas flight landed in Sydney on Wednesday evening with 126 Australian passport holders and their immediate family - another 43 passengers - completing onward travel for those who departed from Tel Aviv in recent days. The plane also carried...

The Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Network Independent Advisory Board met for its fifth meeting this week in Auckland, New Zealand. The meeting was chaired by the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Henry Puna. Key on the agenda was the Implementation plan for the 2050 Strategy, Trade and Investment opportunities for the Pacific region, and the recently endorsed...

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed satisfaction with Papua New Guinea’s progress in meeting the conditions of its loans. The IMF recently approved loans specifically for governance-related programmes, including auditing of government spending and supporting the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). Speaking at the official press conference announcing the 2023 outlook in Singapore, Shanaka Peiris, IMF Division Chief of Regional...

Thousands of Pacific islanders will be offered a path to Australian life after a government effort to boost regional employment and address shortages was given the green light. Immigration Minister Andrew Giles secured the votes of the Greens to have the Pacific visa scheme legislation pass the Senate after agreeing to a review of the significant costs threshold in a...

Fiji’s Prime minister said Wednesday on a visit to Australia's capital that his government was “more comfortable dealing with traditional friends” such as Australia as China pursues closer security ties in the Asia-Pacific region. Sitiveni Rabuka and Australia's Anthony Albanese met during the Fijian’s first state visit to Australia since he most recently came to power in December last year....

Australia has pledged $68 million (US$43 million) to Fiji in budget support and has agreed to sell the Pacific nation 14 bushmaster armoured vehicles for its peacekeepers as the two nations sign an "elevated" new partnership agreement in Canberra. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka in Canberra on Wednesday as he continues a state visit to...

By Kerryn Baker and Theresa Meki Independent states in the Pacific region have the lowest levels of women’s political representation in the world. Fewer than seven percent of Pacific politicians are women, compared with 27 percent globally. The absence of women’s voices in political decision-making has been consistently raised in regional forums, although progress has been slow. Yet, in November...