PINA

Australia will put climate change and gender at the heart of its international aid programme in a policy revamp designed to compete with China's infrastructure-building in the Indo-Pacific region. Under the new rules, all international development projects will have to include environmental and gender equality objectives. Australia says that global warming is the “number one threat” to the security and wellbeing...

By Rowena Acraman The prevalence of social issues in Fiji has impacted Fijians, particularly in areas such poverty and environmental pollution. Amidst the challenges, Sosido, a Japanese social impact awareness organisation, has decided to partner with students from The University of the South Pacific (USP) to formulate solutions to mitigate these debacles. The Japanese organisation managed by youths, organised a Social Business...

Pacific Labour mobility has been a strong force for helping Pacific post-COVID economic recovery, but social impacts are an equally strong concern for our nations, says the PIF Director for Programmes and Initiatives, Zarak Khan. He told Pacific media fellows that discussions at the preparatory Finance and Economic Officials meetings Tuesday showed while many Pacific nations appreciate the boost to...

Pacific island economies are dealing with a high inflation rate and high national debt on the back of a post-COVID-19 recovery rate. World Bank economists say beefing up social security measures will be key to balancing the impact. The World Bank revealed that Fiji’s inflation rate is relatively small compared to other Pacific Island countries. World Bank Economist Mehwish Ashraf said they...

By Matteo Civillini  Dozens of mining industry representatives joined government negotiating teams at high-stakes United Nations talks charting the future of controversial deep-sea mining last month. Climate Home News identified at least 33 executives and employees of companies directly involved in the nascent deep-sea mining industry on the list of state delegations at the International Seabed Authority (ISA) annual meeting. The little-known...

Flying Fijians Coach Simon Raiwalui has named his 33-member squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France next month. Waisea Nayacalevu will captain the Flying Fijians at the Rugby World Cup while Jone Koroiduadua is the only uncapped player named in the team. Nayacalevu, Levani Botia, and Peni Ravai will be going for their third World Cup. Six players will...

The Flying Fijian players who didn’t make the cut for the Rugby World Cup are still available for selection. This has been confirmed by coach Simon Raiwalui. Players who were not selected includes Ben Volavola, Vilimoni Botitu, Seta Tamanivalu, Joseva Tamani, Kitione Kamikamica and Meli Tuni. Raiwalui said if there’s an injury during the World Cup, one of the five can be...

Unity Fiji party leader Savenaca Narube believes that Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka “has jumped the gun” in showing his support to the Japanese Government’s plans to dump the Fukushima nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean. He said he would have preferred a collective opinion from all Pacific Island Forum (PIF) members on the issue. “The release of radioactive waste from the...

Development assistance rules are denying “vulnerable” small island developing states, or SIDS, of the help they need to combat the climate emergency and must be rewritten, a UK inquiry has been told. Multiple organisations have attacked the primary eligibility criteria for overseas development assistance, or ODA, and concessional loans — which are a country’s income per capita — claiming it...

Fiji and the Cook Islands are in the process of finalising a new Development Cooperation Agreement to advance economic cooperation, air transportation connectivity, trade, tourism, labour mobility and address climate change. This was highlighted during a bilateral meeting held between the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sitiveni Rabuka and the Pacific Islands Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime...