PINA

U.S officials are leaving Australia feeling emboldened following a nearly weeklong trip that also featured a visit to Papua New Guinea. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin's ninth trip to the Indo-Pacific aimed to improve intensifying ties with Papua New Guinea by strengthening the government's defense capabilities, and secure more ambitious plans for defense cooperation with Australia. Speaking on the sidelines of multiple...

The United States-Papua New Guinea Defence Cooperation Act (DCA) is built on mutual respect and we respect Papua New Guinea’s position on nuclear matters, says U.S defence secretary Lloyd Austin III. Austin said: “Again, as you heard me say earlier, this is really about strengthening our ability to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific and protecting the rural space in...

The tourism industry surpassed expectations earning $2.09 billion (US$1.045 billion) between April and December 2022 with majority of the 587,406 holiday makers coming from Australia, New Zealand and United States, the Fiji 2022 Annual International Visitor Survey (IVS) revealed. Tourists spent the most on accommodation, totaling $801 million (US$400.5 million) or 38 percent of total earnings. International and domestic airfares...

Biofouling, which refers to the accumulation of organisms such as algae, barnacles, and mollusks on the surfaces of structures submerged in water, poses serious economic and environmental risks to Pacific communities. The risks include reduced vessel efficiency, increased fuel consumption, altered marine ecosystems, and the introduction of invasive species to new habitats. Invasive aquatic species are non-native organisms that can...

New Zealand successfully retained the Rugby Championship title, and with it the Bledisloe Cup for at least another year, following a comprehensive 38-7 victory over Australia in Melbourne on Saturday. It was a further sign the three-time world champions are moving in the right direction under head coach Ian Foster just over a month out from Rugby World Cup 2023. Whether...

The Manu Samoa players are making progress in their fitness and strength as part of their training regime, says the team's strength and conditioning coach. A lot of criticism centred around their fitness was directed at Manu Samoa after their last two games, with their narrow 24–22 victory over Japan against 14 men following the sin-binning of their captain. However, Aitutagata...

During his address to the Oceania Football Confederation Congress in Auckland, New Zealand, on 19 July 2023, FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated his intention to visit a number of the Oceania Football Confederation's Member Associations (MAs) during the FIFA Women's World Cup™ in New Zealand and Australia. To date, Infantino has visited Tahiti, Cook Islands, American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga,...

American military analysts will soon be sent to work at the Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO) in Canberra as both allies intensify joint efforts to scrutinise the moves of states like China, Russia and North Korea in the region. On Sunday, Marles and U.S Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Lavarack Barracks in Townsville to meet military personnel taking part in the...

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has described as “fruitful” the visit by France’s President Emmanuel Macron as the two countries established cooperation in forest management, conservation, and climate change. “France is a big nation and we did not take lightly his arrival into our country,” he said. “The key outcome of this meeting was not just the walk in...

The World Bank’s Board of Directors has approved funding for a programme to further strengthen regional collaboration to safeguard the health of the Pacific’s much-valued fisheries sector through the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency. The US$9 million Forum Fisheries Agency: Pacific Islands Regional Oceanscape Programme - Second Phase for Economic Resilience will build on the first phase of the Pacific...