PINA

Engagement, advocacy and visibility were the three objectives for the visit by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat team in Papua New Guinea last week, led by deputy secretary general, Esala Nayasi. Through workshops and bilateral meetings with different government officials, ministries and other relevant partners at the Central Government Office in Port Moresby, discussions surrounded firstly, the 2050 Strategy for...

The UNESCO general director, Audrey Azoulay, opened the Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelona, urging societies to include sea protection classes in the world's education and guaranteeing the preservation of sealife. “We have to maximise all efforts to educate on conscience about oceans, and we must reinforce education on them, as we have a long path to follow,” Azoulay said on...

The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) in collaboration with the Pacific Community (SPC), is hosting its first ever Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI) Forum at the FFA Conference Centre in Honiara this week. Over three days, 9 – 11 April, the forum will facilitate discussions among over 60 leaders and representatives from FFA and SPC Members, civil societies organisation,...

Act and New Zealand First have shocked Parliament last night by supporting a bill to select committee that would provide entitlement to New Zealand citizenship for a group of people born in the then Western Samoa whose citizenship was removed by law in 1982. The bill, Restoring Citizenship Removed by Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 Bill, is in the name...

The U.S is considering military projects across the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) as it pushes ahead with plans for a US$400m airport upgrade in the country to boost defence capabilities in the Pacific, President Wesley Simina said. The region is of growing strategic importance to the U.S amid a battle for influence with China. FSM has been identified as a...

Solomon Islands Government had declared Wednesday 17 April 2024 as a public holiday for the conduct of national, provincial and Honiara City Council elections. The caretaker Minister of Home Affairs, Christopher Laore made the declaration published in an extra ordinary gazette on Monday 08 April. “Under section 2 of the Public Holidays Act (Cap. 151), the public is informed that the...

The Tongan Government plans to build 200 houses for the Pacific Forum leaders meeting in August, as accommodation falls short, the Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku told a media in Nuku'alofa. Tonga will host the 53rd Pacific Forum leaders meeting in late August. PM Hu'akavameiliku revealed that the Government is expecting at least 1,000 participants for the meeting. There are 18 members from across...

Japanese ambassador to Fiji Rokuichiro Michii says he understands the concerns raised by the Pacific community after the release of treated nuclear wastewater from the battered Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The Fiji Times newspaper asked Michii whether the issue of Fukushima had impacted the relations Japan shared with Pacific Island countries. He replied it had not. “We are sorry that this...

The Chinese Ambassador to Fiji, Zhou Jian says Pacific people have the conscience to discern who is helping and who is taking advantage of them. The Ambassador was asked about China’s intentions in the region and if the so-called claim of its geopolitical competition alongside others with the likes of Australia and New Zealand is true. Jian, in response, said China...

The U.S Coast Guard has rejected comments by a Chinese diplomat that its recent boarding of Chinese fishing boats in the Pacific Islands alongside local police are illegal, saying the joint patrols are at the behest of Pacific nations to protect coastal fisheries. Last month six Chinese fishing boats were found to be violating Vanuatu's fisheries law after being inspected...