PINA

  The Micronesian bloc of the Pacific Islands Forum say they're “ready” and “already working2 to attend the special Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting in Fiji next week to put an end to issues impacting regional unity. The President of the Federated States of Micronesia, David Panuelo, said the leaders from the sub-region have made “big decisions” at the Micronesian Presidents'...

A week before Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meet in Fiji for a Special Leaders Retreat – the five Micronesian member countries have resolved major outstanding decisions from the Suva Agreement – that assured their return to the regional political body. Meeting in the Federated States of Micronesia capital, Pohnpei, the five leaders from FSM, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru and Palau...

Australia has been helping to broker the talks to bring Kiribati back into the fold, and Australian officials will be relieved to see Micronesian leaders strike this pact at a broader meeting of PIF leaders next week in Fiji. Foreign Minister Penny Wong is also travelling to the Pacific next week, and is expected to visit Kiribati as Australia moves...

An increase in the pace at which sea levels are rising threatens “a mass exodus of entire populations on a biblical scale”, the UN secretary general has warned. The climate crisis is causing sea levels to rise faster than for 3,000 years, bringing a “torrent of trouble” to almost a billion people, from London to Los Angeles and Bangkok to...

Fiji’s Speaker of Parliament Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu has directed the Privileges Committee to meet today to determine whether former Prime Minister and leader of Opposition Voreqe Bainimarama breached Standing Order 62 when he launched a scathing attack on President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere in Parliament on Monday. The committee is to deliver a report by Friday. In Parliament this morning, Ratu Naiqama...

The leaders of five Pacific island nations said on Tuesday that U.S President Joe Biden would soon visit their region for a leaders’ summit, in what experts said would be a significant move in U.S efforts to push back against Chinese inroads in the region. The leaders of the Pacific's five Micronesian nations -- Kiribati, Palau, Nauru, Marshall Islands and...

Nauru President Russ Kun passed over the chairmanship of the Micronesian Presidents' Summit (MPS) from Nauru to the Federated States of Micronesia at the 21st meeting of the MPS in Pohnpei this week. President Kun attended the 21st MPS in Pohnpei and was also invited to attend the 25th Micronesian Islands Forum (MIF). Nauru and Kiribati are not members of...

Vanuatu's prime minister is in Canberra for discussions just months after signing a security agreement with Australia. Prime Minister Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau will meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as well as opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham. Kalsakau will be joined by his trade and business minister and his agriculture minister, with discussions also set to cover trade co-operation. Albanese said...

Staff and students of the University of the South Pacific (USP) in Fiji welcomed Vice-Chancellor and President of USP, Professor Pal Ahluwalia at Laucala campus on Tuesday. The Vice-Chancellor and his wife returned to the country last Friday after their prohibition order was lifted by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka following the formation of the coalition government. Professor Ahluwalia said it has...

Former Fiji Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Voreqe Bainimarama and former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum are due for further questioning at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID headquarters today. This was confirmed by Sayed-Khaiyum last night. The duo made no comments as they exited the CID HQ. Chief of Intelligence, Investigations and Prosecution Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police Sakeo Raikaci says the two...