PINA

-Foreign Minister Penny Wong has declared Australia shares the vision held by Fiji for a stronger relationship between the two nations. Speaking in Fiji, Senator Wong announced $10 million (US$6.8 million) in additional funding to help rebuild schools and critical infrastructure that were destroyed by a tropical cyclone two years ago. She said the buildings would be built to meet a...

Pacific island nations are free to form relationships with whichever countries they chose, New Zealand's new deputy prime minister said, but those decisions impact the regional “family”, so broad and constant engagement is needed. The United States, Australia and New Zealand have stepped up diplomacy and aid to the strategically important Pacific region, worried about China’s growing influence in the...

Australia has taken a significant step in countering China's growing influence in the Pacific by signing an important agreement with Kiribati. Australia will scale up security and economic co-operation with the small island nation after Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong signed a “nurturing the partnership” Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with President Taneti Maamau. it comes after Beijing has pushed in recent...

The Australian Government recognises the pivotal role that the Pacific Islands Forum plays in terms of regional and global diplomacy, says Chargé d’affaires of the Australian High Commission in Fiji, John Williams. He made the comment ahead of the PIF Special Retreat that begins today in Nadi. Williams had indicated that as a Pacific family, we all need to work together...

Climate change is an emerging human rights issue posing a serious risk to the fundamental rights to life, health, food and an adequate standard of living of individuals and communities across the world. While speaking to regional human rights stakeholders in Nadi this week, Attorney-General Siromi Turaga said in the Pacific, climate change was threatening the health of its people,...

By Grant Walton Over the past few years the Pacific has been a hive of anti-corruption activity. Pacific Island nations have introduced new anti-corruption organisations and legislation; signed international treaties; seen protests, as well as social and traditional media exposés; and have participated in numerous regional meetings about how to best tackle corruption. Regional ownership over the issue has...

By Josep Borrell 24 February 2022 will forever be recalled as the day when Russia started its brutal, unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine. This was and remains a case of pure aggression and a clear-cut breach of the UN Charter. This war is neither ‘just a European issue’, nor is it about the ‘West versus the rest’. It is about...

Solomon Telekom Company Limited’s television service TTV and National Broadcaster Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) have agreed on a carriage relationship to broadcast the new SIBC TV service nationwide on TTV’s transmitters and streaming Application TTV Now. The MOU, signed in Honiara, details the relationship between TTV and SIBC should SIBC be granted intellectual property rights by the Pacific Games...

Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has acknowledged the Australian Government for its continuous support towards Fiji after the launching of the Fiji Rugby Union 2023 Women's Rugby campaign in Nadi Wednesday. Officiating at the launch alongside Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, PM Rabuka highlighted that the gathering underscores the importance of our Vuvale partnership and while we are...

Waisake Kativerata has been appointed the new Head Coach and Coaching Director of the Fiji Bati. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and Fiji National Rugby League Chairman Aporosa Lutunauga made the announcement of the new coach in a media conference in Suva today. Kaiverata takes over from Josaia Rabele, who guided Fiji at last year’s Rugby League World Cup in England. “Wise...