PINA

Just hours after Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said the government would call a meeting if Fiji Rugby Union doesn’t, the FRU released a statement saying coaches and team officials for the Fiji Airways Men’s 7s and Fijiana 7s will meet with the Trustees on Thursday. As part of the normal procedure, both programmes will be reviewed in detail following...

By Nic Maclellan in Majuro, Marshall Islands The two teams lined up face to face. Students from the College of Marshall Islands (CMI) and the Majuro campus of the University of the South Pacific (USP) squared off in a mock debate: should the Marshall Islands sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)? Arguments went back and forward, highlighting...

By Nic Maclellan in Majuro, Marshall Islands  Republic of Marshall Islands President, Hilda Heine, has questioned whether the Marshalls have reached a crossroads in its relationship with the United States. As Marshallese gathered to commemorate Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day on 01 March – the 70th anniversary of the U.S Bravo nuclear test on Bikini Atoll – President Heine stood before...

Fiji’s President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere opened the 2024 Sessions of Parliament Monday with a call for unity and progress, emphasising the importance of representing the diverse voices of the people. “It is an honour for me to be here today, to open this new Parliamentary Session. “As democratically elected representatives, I ask you to listen to the voices of our people,...

By Nic Maclellan in Majuro, Marshall Islands Gina Langinbelik Anuntak is a student at the College of the Marshall Islands (CMI). She’s President of the CMI Nuclear Club, a student association that unites Marshallese students to understand the legacies of 20th century US nuclear testing. “We want to learn about the nuclear history that we were never taught when we were...

Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, Henry Puna Friday delivers heartfelt remarks at the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day, emphasising the event's significance with gratitude and solemn acknowledgment. “May I firstly extend my sincerest appreciation to the President and the Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands for the warm invitation to join you here today....

On Friday, 01 March, World Seagrass Day was celebrated in the capital of Fiji to emphasise the critical role of seagrass ecosystems in sustaining biodiversity and mitigating climate change. German Ambassador to Fiji, Dr Andreas Prothmann described seagrass as the "lungs of the ocean", stressed the significance of seagrass conservation for Pacific Island nations, particularly in sustaining coastal fisheries and...

The new prime minister in the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu said on Friday his country shares democratic values with Taiwan and reaffirmed that his government would maintain diplomatic ties with Taipei, ruling out a shift to Beijing. Prime Minister Feleti Teo spoke to The Associated Press via Zoom, his first interview with international media since his government took office...

U.S agreements with Pacific islands are set to expire this year and Hawaii’s congressional delegation is urging action. An impasse has exposed Hawaii’s financial burden in paying for assistance for legal migrants. U.S Rep Ed Case says after negotiations under two administrations, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau have signed agreements...

World Trade Organisation (WTO) members concluded the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) in Abu Dhabi on 2 March with the adoption of a Ministerial Declaration setting out a forward-looking, reform agenda for the organisation. Ministers also took a number of ministerial decisions, including renewing the commitment to have a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system by 2024 and to improve use...