PINA

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) forecasts faster growth for developing economies in Asia and the Pacific this year, as the continued easing of pandemic restrictions boosts consumption, tourism, and investment. The People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) reopening—as it pivots away from its zero-COVID strategy—is the main factor brightening the region’s growth prospects. Economies in Asia and the Pacific are projected to...

Pacific and global officials, technical and legal experts concluded a Regional Conference on Statehood and Sea Level Rise, in Fiji last week. Key recommendations for further consideration by the members of the Pacific Islands Forum will go through further discussions by Forum Committees and Subcommittees. The 2023 Regional Conference, from 27 to 30 March 2023, was chaired by Jim Armistead, High...

Calls for an urgent halt on deep-sea mining reached a historic high as the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the international body that regulates mineral activities on the high seas, met for the final time before a key deadline to pass regulations on mining activities. The meeting saw a record number of observer organisations attend the event, signaling the growing scrutiny...

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown has said he has received assurances that the recent Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) proposals will not contravene the Treaty of Rarotonga. PM Brown, who undertook a series of high-level engagements while in Washington, last week, met several high-ranking U.S officials. Among these were the Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Deputy Secretary of State Wendy...

Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says at a time when Fiji is moving forward and big power rivalries are affecting the region, the need for greater unity among island countries is critical. He said this was evident during the election campaign. While highlighting the achievements of the first 100 days, Rabuka says this became much clearer to them when he became...

Fiji's Minister for Fisheries, Kalaveti Vodo Ravu, officially launched the inaugural Fiji Tuna Symposium Tuesday with a commitment to strengthen partnership for the sustainable development of Fiji's domestic tuna industry. The two-day event, organised in partnership with the Ministry of Fisheries, Fiji Fishing Industry Association, Conservation International, and Worldwide Fund for Nature, brings together all stakeholders to think and plan...

Fiji 7s coach Ben Gollings will again keep opposition guessing with his starting lineup for every game at the Singapore 7s this week. The national coach says he understands that there needs to be some form of consistency his run on side but he trusts all the players to deliver when they’re given the opportunity to play. Gollings said they’re all...

A 7.0-magnitutde earthquake which hit East Sepik’s Chambri Lakes at around 4am Monday reportedly killed four people, injured 17 and destroyed more than 300 homes, according to Papua New Guinea police. Provincial police commander Supt Chris Tamari told The National from Wewak last night that they were unconfirmed figures as authorities continued to collate information on the extent of the...

The Pacific is expected to sustain its economic recovery, with growth across all of Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Pacific developing member countries this year, according to the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2023, ADB's flagship economic publication, released today. Pacific economies expanded by an average of 5.2 percent in 2022 as borders reopened and business activity resumed following the COVID-19...

By Harlyne Joku Beijing has raised concerns about a proposed security agreement between Papua New Guinea and Australia, the Pacific island country’s foreign minister said Monday as he returned home from an official visit to China seeking development assistance for his nation. The prime ministers of Papua New Guinea and Australia said earlier this year that they wanted negotiations for a...