PINA

By Pita Ligaiula in Seoul Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General and Ocean Commissioner Henry Puna says ‘ocean conservation is vital to our survival, our way of life, our economies, and absolutely essential in addressing climate change.’ In his remarks at the World Climate Industry Expo in Busan attended by Pacific and Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) leaders including Belize and Bahamas,...

By Pita Ligaiula Fiji has called on global community to reach an effective legally binding treaty on plastic pollution. The second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC2) is taking place in Paris, France from 29 May - 02 June. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for...

By Stephen Howes Fresh off their meeting with Indian Prime Minister Modi in PNG, Pacific leaders are this coming week gathering in Seoul for the inaugural South Korea-Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting. It is not hard to be sceptical about the value of these summits but, that said, they are not going to go away. Normally, they focus on aid....

Pacific Islands Forum Leaders are driving new global momentum for climate change and other collective priorities in a week of meetings with India, the US, and South Korea. The 1st Korea-Pacific Islands Summit on 29 May  between Forum Leaders and South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol is co-hosted by the Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Oceans...

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says Papua New Guinea has a “healthy relationship” with China. “They also are important and a big trading partner,” he said. Marape was responding to criticisms over the signing of defence cooperation agreements with the United States in Port Moresby on Monday, with some seeing it as putting at risk the PNG-China relationship. “But we...

The Turaga Bale Na Vunivalu Na Tui Kaba, Ratu Epenisa Cakobau is adamant of a positive outcome as Fiji’s Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) reconvened today for the first time after 16 years since its suspension in 2007. In an interview, Ratu Epenisa stressed the need for GCC to evolve and adapt to the changing times and the diverse population...

Prime Minister James Marape says Papua New Guinea hopes to adopt India’s electronic voting system and biometric identification during General Election 2027. “They (India) are one of the biggest democratic nations and they deliver voting results in one day,” he said. “With a population of 1.4 billion people, and about 800 million eligible voters, they are able to vote and get...

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown has welcomed the United States’ increasing involvement in the Pacific. Brown, who is also the chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, made the comments in the U.S-Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Dialogue in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on Monday. Brown, who had recently attended the Group of Seven (G7) meeting at the invitation of Japan,...

U. S Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin has described the U.S-Papua New Guinea Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) is an important milestone for the relationship between the United States and Papua New Guinea (PNG) – and for our collective Indo-Pacific security. “The agreement reflects our partnership and our shared values as Pacific countries, the importance of ensuring the security and...

Seeing all the paramount chiefs of Fiji convene again after 16 long years is very emotional, says Vunivalu Tui Kaba, Ratu Epenisa Cakobau. Ratu Epenisa said hosting the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) after a very long time is not easy, and the people of Bau stepped up to ensure that they provide the best GCC experience. The Turaga Vunivalu has...