PINA

By Richard Naidu An Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations has urged a key gathering of finance ministers from across the Pacific to form a “unified and strengthened Pacific” as a game changer in the struggle against the increasing weight of climate change and a new era of geopolitical jostling by global superpowers. Armida Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic...

Pacific activists and civil society presented a historic new climate finance initiative to the community of Kioa Island in Fiji this week. The Kato Pacific Community Climate Fund is a response to resounding cries from frontline communities that current climate finance is often inaccessible and insufficient. Ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum Economic Ministers Meeting in Fiji, Pacific civil society gathered...

Solomon Islands leader of Opposition Matthew Wale has apologised to the people of Solomon Islands on behalf of the people of Malaita province for what happened during the ethnic tensions. Speaking in Parliament on the Truth and Reconciliation Report (TRC) debate, Wale made the apology as a prominent Malaita leader and Member of Parliament for Aoke/Langalanga. “As an MP for Malaita...

Pacific leaders are concerned with the hypocrisy of the Pacific Islands Forum’s development partners. Fiji’s deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad and Pacific Islands Forum Chair Mark Brown shared these sentiments at a public seminar during the Forum Economic Ministers Meeting in Suva. Prasad said the words of commitment and the actions of these so-called partners are...

Three Members of Vanuatu Parliament (MPs) have withdrawn their support for the motion of no-confidence, according to the Parliamentary Speakers’ Office. These three MPs wrote letters Tuesday to inform Speaker Seoule Simeon of the withdrawal of their signatures from the motion against Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau. But the Speaker’s Office spokesman said although they wrote a letter to withdraw their signatures,...

The Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between Papua New Guinea and the United States will be tabled in Parliament for debate and ratification, says Minister for Justice and Attorney-General Pila Niningi. Niningi told Parliament during his ministerial statement that the Department of Justice and Attorney General and the State Solicitor were involved in providing legal advice and cleared the Defence Cooperation...

Greenpeace Australia Pacific has joined civil society groups, Pasifika activists and climate leaders on Kioa island, Fiji, as part of a regional dialogue to progress key climate issues facing the region. From 07-09 August, more than sixty civil society representatives from across the Pacific came together on the remote island of Kioa for a ‘talanoa’ or discussion as part of...

By Rowena Acraman Fijian journalists have been embracing a more inclusive and unrestricted approach to journalism since the new Fiji government permitted media freedom. The recent departure from draconian media laws has given opportunity to brave journalists to voice out their opinions to help with the betterment of the nation. The launch of the Conflict Sensitive Reporting Manual took place at The...

‘Ikale Tahi Head Coach, Toutai Kefu, remains full of confidence for the team and is looking forward to seeing them regroup against Canada in Tonga this afternoon. “We need to really reform and regroup to play against Canada –we’ve always had to play well to beat them and I expect no different Thursday,” he said. At a media briefing in Nuku'alofa,...

It has been a magical journey for Miracle Fai’ilagi. A little over a year ago he was playing rugby for his village team and then he forced his way into the Moana Pasifika and now he has been named in the Manu Samoa squad for the Rugby World Cup 2023. “The World Cup is like the top stage. When I...