PINA

Joe Biden is set to become the first sitting U.S president in at least a century to visit Papua New Guinea, Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko said Thursday, revealing plans for a brief but symbolic trip. Biden plans to stop at Port Moresby in May as he travels between a G7 summit in Japan and a Quad summit in Sydney, Australia,...

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met with Nauru President Russ in Brisbane. Prime Minister Albanese and President Kun discussed Australia and Nauru’s shared priorities for regional security, climate resilience and regional connectivity. Australia is supporting infrastructure projects in Nauru through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific. These include Nauru’s Airport Refurbishment Project and the East Micronesia Cable Project. Prime...

Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr unveiled some of the details of the new economic package under the renegotiated provisions of the nation's Compact of Free Association with Washington. Palau stands to receive US$890 million in economic assistance from the U.S for the next 20 years. The Washington-pledged amount was more than double the price that was initially on the table,...

The Commonwealth Secretary-General,Patricia Scotland is in Papua New Guinea this week where she met with Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister James Marape to discuss issues of mutual interest and strengthen partnerships between the Commonwealth and Papua New Guinea. During her visit, the Secretary-General is emphasising the urgent need for action on climate change and commended Papua New Guinea's efforts...

Leaders of Pacific Island countries to visit Korea By Kang Ho-jeung Within the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, there are numerous island nations. We commonly refer to a total of 14 countries, including Papua New Guinea in which I currently reside. Papua New Guinea's territory is twice the size of the Korean Peninsula, and there are also small countries like...

Fiji's Attorney-General Siromi Turaga has confirmed the dismissal of the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) board and that the action had been taken in terms to the finding of irregularities in the union’s current operations. Turaga made the revelations after a meeting with the FRU this week, actions had been taken. “Following my meeting with the FRU Board of directors, those in...

U.S President Joe Biden’s plan to expand marine sanctuaries around the United States’ remote Pacific islands has been greeted with dismay in American Samoa, where officials fear a heavy blow to the U.S territory’s economically crucial tuna industry. American Samoa Governor Lemanu Mauga, in a recent letter to Biden, criticised zero consultation with the territory about the sanctuary expansion and...

People who fall prey to criminal networks and human traffickers are just looking for ways to better their lives, the United Nations says. UN Pacific coordinator on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Dr Rebecca Miller, said there were a lot of factors fuelling trafficking across the region. She said Covid-19 has exacerbated the crisis in the Pacific. “We’ve seen a lot of vulnerabilities...

Planning is underway for United States President Joe Biden to make a historic visit to Papua New Guinea on his way to Australia next month as the U.S continues to ramp-up its diplomatic push in the Pacific. PNG and U.S officials have told the ABC that Biden is likely to meet his PNG counterpart, James Marape, and other Pacific leaders...

The Pacific dialogue has brought together Ministers and high-level representatives of Pacific Island Nations and Denmark to build on the Port Vila Call for a Just Transition to a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific. In March, an ambitious and historical call to action for a fossil fuel free Pacific was endorsed in Port Vila by Pacific ministers that was held in...