PINA

The 22nd Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Leaders’ Summit will be held in Port Vila next week. The MSG leaders summit was postponed last month. The 22nd MSG Leaders’ Summit is scheduled for 22-23 August, 2023 in Port Vila. The application for United Liberation Movement for West Papua (UMLWP) as a full member of MSG is expected to be on the agenda at...

By Sera Sefeti International environmental campaign group Greenpeace’s flagship Rainbow Warrior is currently sailing across the Pacific, calling at ports and collecting evidence to present to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) — the World Court — during a historic hearing in The Hague next year. Rainbow Warrior staff and crew will be joined by Pasifika activists sailing across the...

By Rowena Acraman The new USAID Pacific Islands Mission was opened in Suva Tuesday at a ceremony organised at the United States Embassy. It was opened by former U.S diplomat and USAID Administrator, Samantha Power who also inaugurated Zema Semunegus as the mission’s Director. Administrator Power emphasised the new USAID office will help enhance digital connectivity and cybersecurity, support Fiji in...

The dangers of rising sea levels are perhaps nowhere more stark than the island nation of Tuvalu in the South Pacific: increased coastal flooding, worsening storm damage, and more threats to come. To help Tuvalu and other low-lying island nations prepare for a changing climate, NASA’s Sea Level Change Team is partnering with a United Nations support initiative. The idea:...

By Nick Thieberger, University of Melbourne Vanuatu's rampaging cyclones are the latest extreme event to threaten the country's cultural records. A digitisation project could be key to protecting them. When cyclones ripped through Vanuatu's Port Vila in March 2023, they left a trail of crumpled buildings, mud-stricken roads and decimated powerlines in their wake. Among those affected was the Vanuatu Cultural...

By Siobhan McDonnell Just two-and-a-half weeks ago, Vanuatu celebrated its 43rd Independence anniversary. Bands marched around Independence Park in Port Vila, watched by the assembled groups of politicians and VIPs and families dressed in national colours. Children waved the Vanuatu flag. It was much like any other year. But behind the scenes, as the French President flew out of the...

The Australian Government is partnering with the National Rugby League to establish the new Pacific Rugby League Championships. The inaugural Pacific Championships will feature women’s and men’s teams from Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and Tonga. The Government is committing $7 million (US$4.5 million) over the next two years so that seven Pacific countries are included...

Super Rugby organisers have released the 2024 schedule, which is set to feature more matches across the Pacific. After a successful cameo in Apia, plans are in the works for Moana Pasifika to play more of its home games in Samoa and across the Pacific region. Apia Park hosted its first Super Rugby Pacific match in 2023 with Moana Pasifika hosting...

International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons hopes Oceania will follow in the footsteps of Europe by creating a continental multi-sport event. Parsons was here last week to see the inaugural edition of the European Para Championships (EPC) that features 10 Para sports across 13 days of competition. EPC organisers hope the event will now take place every four years and be...

Former Prime Minister and Fiji Labour Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry claims that Fiji’s Constitution is a significant obstacle to democracy. Speaking at the inaugural session of the symposium titled ‘Democracy Reimagined: Charting the Course for Fiji’s Political Future,’ Chaudhry claims the 2013 Constitution was imposed, and its review requirements are practically unattainable. Chaudhry suggested the possibility of engaging the Opposition Party...