PINA

As leaders of 56 nations gather in Apia, Samoa, for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), a new report titled “Uncommon Wealth: Fossil Fuel Expansion in the Commonwealth dominated by Three Wealthy Countries” reveals the stark imbalance in fossil fuel extraction across the Commonwealth, highlighting the dominance of three wealthy nations—Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom—in driving fossil...

Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, Baron Waqa has made a powerful appeal for greater international support to help Pacific nations tackle the escalating impacts of climate change. Speaking at the CHOGM Side Event in Apia, Samoa, on Fiscal Policies for Resilient and Sustainable Development, Waqa highlighted the urgent need for collective global action to bolster the Pacific's ability to adapt...

High-level government leaders and multistakeholder partners came together Wednesday to strengthen their commitment to addressing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health at a side event held during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa. The event, titled “Weaving a Healthy Commonwealth Aiga for Combating Noncommunicable Diseases and Promoting Mental Health," was jointly organised by the Ministry of...

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has announced that his government will introduce a new Domestic Terrorism Bill during the November Parliament session, aimed at empowering law enforcement agencies to combat growing lawlessness, including tribal violence. This legislative push follows a recent outbreak of deadly tribal conflict in Enga Province, which prompted the government to extend the ongoing State...

King Charles has arrived in Samoa for a four-day state visit where he will preside for the first time over a gathering of Commonwealth presidents and prime ministers. Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa greeted the King and Queen Camilla at Faleolo International Airport where a red carpet had been rolled out amid high winds and last-minute vacuum cleaning. The Royal...

Niue celebrated 50 years of self-government on Saturday, with Britain's King Charles issuing a congratulatory video, but the Pacific Island state is excluded from this week's Commonwealth leaders meeting, and its prime minister wants change. Known informally as the Rock of Polynesia, Niue was settled by Samoans in 900AD and has a population of around 1,500. Yet as Samoa hosts the...

As one of the signature events ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the 2024 Commonwealth Climate Breakfast this year focused on building consensus for climate finance targets in the run-up to COP 29. The packed room was addressed by the Prime Ministers from Tonga Siaosi Sovaleni and Tuvalu Feleti Teo; the Vice-President of the Maldives; Minister for...

With less than a month to go until the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) convene their 29th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Vanuatu team of climate negotiators have already begun preparations. The Department of Climate Change, in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme...

Pacific Island nations are being encouraged to take the lead when it comes to renewable energy as threats from climate change continue. Leading this movement is Henk Rogers, the founder of Tetris and a passionate advocate for global climate action through renewable energy. Speaking to PMN News, Rogers outlined his vision for the island nations, especially the Pacific, to take charge...

Op-Ed by Dirk Wagener, UN Resident Coordinator for Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu When United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres recently visited the Hahake coast in Tonga, he saw firsthand the devastating impacts of climate change and rising sea levels on the Pacific. Yet, amid this harsh reality, the people he met delivered a powerful message: “We are the guardians...