PINA

UN agencies on Tuesday issued an urgent call for action, emphasising the severe health risks faced by pregnant women, babies and children due to worsening climate catastrophes. In Protecting maternal, newborn and child health from the impacts of climate change, the World Health Organisation (WHO), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), and UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) jointly underscore the neglect, underreporting, and...

There needs to be a regional approach to deep-sea mining, as opposed to relying solely on the sovereign rights of individual nations, given the transboundary risks such activities can pose to the Pacific Ocean, says a Cook Islands environmental group. Te Ipukarea Society (TIS) has welcomed a decision by the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ for greater regional dialogue and cooperation...

Australia’s climate minister, Chris Bowen, says Pacific nations and other countries vulnerable to climate catastrophe should be the major beneficiaries of “loss and damage” funding, and a broader range of countries should bankroll the international effort along with the private sector. Bowen used a speech to a foreign policy thinktank on Tuesday night to signal Australia’s position ahead of Cop28,...

A US$50 million pledge from Saudi Arabia has opened the investor search for a new US$500 million Pacific Resilience Fund (PRF) to build resilience against disaster. The pledge was announced by Minister for Tourism and Chair of the Saudi Fund for Development, Ahmed Al Khateeb to Leaders at the Dialogue Partners sessions of the 52nd Forum Leaders Meeting in Rarotonga. Pacific...

Pacific delegates who attended the third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-3), in Nairobi Kenya, are returning home reasonably satisfied with the progress made during the past week. Although some will argue that the outcome could have been better, others among Pacific delegations say...

Pacific Island leaders have stressed the need to grasp their own destiny by setting their own regional agenda, with a focus on climate change and nuclear issues. Leaders and delegates of member nations this month gathered together on the Cook Islands for the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum under the theme "Our Voices, Our Choices, Our Pacific Way: Promote, Partner, Prosper". Founded...

Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka will visit Indonesia in 2024. The invitation extended by Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo follows their recent discussion on the matter concerning the West Papuan people. The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) had appointed Rabuka alongside Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape as special envoys during the Pacific Islands Forum leader’s regional meeting in the Cook Islands...

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). As one of the first countries to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on maintaining cooperation under the BRI framework, Fiji has maintained close cooperation with China in the areas of economic affairs, trade and climate change. Global Times reporter Leng Shumei (GT) recently held an exclusive...

Team Fiji has dropped to 14th on the overall Pacific Games medal tally after day two. Following the three medals win from our swimmers Fiji now have 3 silver and 2 bronze medals. At the top of the table defending champions New Caledonia has extended their lead to 17 gold, 13 silver and 16 bronze. Australia is second with 11 gold, seven...

Another full house at Honiara’s Aquatic Centre on day two of swimming at the Sol2023 Pacific Games featured eight events with 15 preliminary heats plus eight finals on Tuesday. In the first final of the night, Tasi Limtiaco of Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) moved two steps closer to his triple-gold goal after winning the men’s 50m breaststroke with a...