PINA

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Dennis Francis says no effort should be spared to safeguard and defend the 'inalienability of affected Member States’ sovereignty and statehood. He made the remarks when he addressed the Smaller Islands States (SIS) meeting Monday in Rarotonga, a first for a UNGA sitting President to speak at the Forum Leaders Meeting. The SIS of the...

The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) has agreed to appoint a special envoy to engage in talks with Indonesia on the issue of West Papua. This was confirmed by Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka at the end of the MSG Leaders sub-regional meeting in Rarotonga today. Pacific leaders at the Forum Leaders Meeting in Tuvalu in 2019 “strongly encouraged” Indonesia to finalise...

Pacific Islands Forum Chairman and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says the time is ripe to consider what role they see the Smaller Islands States (SIS) playing both now and into the future. Brown made the statement at the opening of the Smaller Islands States (SIS) in Rarotonga on Monday ahead of the opening of the 52nd Forum Leaders...

In a turn of events at today's Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Meeting, Prime Minister Rabuka extended a heartfelt apology to the MSG Leaders Caucus for the statement he made regarding the discharge of treated water from the Fukushima Plant in Japan, following his review of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report. He explained that his earlier statement was not...

The difficulty of accessing global climate finance led to the creation of the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF). Cook Islands Foreign Affairs and Immigration secretary Tepaeru Herrmann said Pacific countries have for a number of years voiced their concerns at the difficulty in accessing climate financing. “The execution rates for us is negligible,” Herrmann told a press briefing for journalists in Rarotonga...

Four Pacific leaders will not be attending this year’s 52 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting, which officially opens this evening in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. This was confirmed by Forum Deputy Secretary General Esala Naayasi during the press briefing in Rarotonga. The four leaders are James Marape of Papua New Guinea, Manasseh Sogavare of Solomon Islands, Charlot Salwai of Vanuatu and New...

Pacific Islands Forum chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown has launched a broadside against the United States and China, urging them not to bring adversarial competition to the Pacific stating the Pacific is a ‘region of collaboration’ not for competition. Brown made the powerful statement in Rarotonga as the island nation prepares to host the annual Pacific Forum...

Pacific countries will advocate to get the World back on track for a 1.5 net zero future at the upcoming COP28 climate change negotiations to be held later this month in the United Arab Emirates(UAE), says Forum Secretary General, Henry Puna. “For all of us, today marks another milestone related to a topic close to all our people – climate...

Café operators surrounding the venue for a Pacific Islands Forum gathering at the National Auditorium are anticipating patron numbers will reach those of peak tourism season during the event. With more than 500 Pacific leaders and delegates converging on the Cook Islands for the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting next week, the event is “good timing” for a hospitality...

By Nic Maclellan in Rarotonga, Cook Islands As the region faces an El Nino summer and Vanuatu reels from the devastation of Cyclone Lola – the third Category 5 cyclone to hit the nation in seven months – it’s no surprise that climate change is high on the agenda at this year’s Pacific Islands Forum. Prime Ministers and Presidents from...