PINA

Regional defence leaders are continuing to meet in Auckland as the Pacific faces increased geopolitical tension, including pushback against China. The South Pacific Defence Ministers' Meeting (SPDMM) is in its eleventh year with defence ministers and representatives from New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, Chili and France attending along with Japan, the US and UK which hold observer...

Pacific Climate Change Officials gathering in Fiji to firm up and consolidate the Pacific’s thematic priorities on the road to the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Azerbaijan later this year have been encouraged to work with negotiating partners to progress ambitious climate targets that have meaningful impacts for our...

France has dropped a divisive electoral reform in New Caledonia that triggered months of violent unrest and stoked concern across the region about Paris’ attitude towards its Pacific territories. French Prime Minister Michel Barnier said in his inaugural address to the national assembly on Tuesday that plans to “unfreeze” the electoral roll would not be sent to the joint meeting...

The Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) leaders are worried about China's recent missile test after a dummy warhead landed in the Pacific Ocean last week. The launch was part of routine training by the People's Liberation Army's Rocket Force, which is in charge of conventional and nuclear missile operations, and was not aimed at any country or target, the...

Fiji's Minister of Youth and Sports Jese Saukuru says Fiji Rugby Union trustees are prepared to investigate allegations of corruption and late payments if players present concrete evidence. Speaking in Parliament, Saukuru acknowledged claims made by players but noted that no substantial proof has been provided to back these accusations. The trustees have expressed their willingness to pass on credible information...

On Tuvalu Independence Day, the Pacific nation is calling on the global community to act decisively and swiftly to address the pressing challenges of climate change and maritime decarbonisation. Speaking at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Tuvalu’s Minister for Transport, Energy, Communication, and Innovation, Simon Kofe, stressed the importance of this week’s decisions. “The outcome this week is fundamental in determining...

The Hunga Tonga underwater volcano was one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history, and now, two years later, new research from The Australian National University (ANU) has revealed its main trigger. Until now, the cause of the cataclysmic event has remained largely a mystery to the scientific community, yet a student-led team of ANU seismologists has been able to...

Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has set a new course for the country’s international relations with the unveiling of Fiji’s first-ever Foreign Policy White Paper, outlining the nation’s priorities on the global stage for the next decade. In a ministerial statement to Parliament on Tuesday, Rabuka highlighted the document as a crucial milestone, marking a comprehensive strategy that integrates domestic...

Plans are being made to visit all islands in Kiribati to call on the people to boycott the presidential vote. That national poll is to be held on 25 October with three candidates, all from the ruling TKP, or Tokwaan Kiribati Party. The current President, or Beretitenti, Taneti Maamau is expected to easily win the contest. One candidate, Riteta Iorome, has been...

Stanley Simpson, a prominent journalist and representative of the Fijian Media Association (FMA), called for an end to the demonisation of Pacific media, particularly in the Solomon Islands, during the recent Pacific Media Summit held in Niue. Simpson expressed frustration over how Pacific media has become entangled in geopolitical tensions between larger global powers. “Stop demonising the Solomon Islands media,” Simpson...