PINA

Pacific indigenous leaders, including the Māori King, has urged the legal recognition of whales as persons with inherent rights. Māori leaders spearheading the Hinemoana Halo Ocean Initiative joined forces with Kīngi Tuheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII and the Kaumaiti Nui Travel Tou Ariki of the Cook Islands to endorse He Whakaputanga Moana (Declaration for the Ocean). They launched their endorsement at...

Australia could become a “poison portal” for international radioactive waste under the Aukus deal, a parliamentary inquiry into nuclear safety legislation has heard. New laws to establish a safety framework for Australia’s planned nuclear-powered submarines could also allow the U.S and UK to send waste here, while both of those countries are struggling to deal with their own waste, as...

By Stephen Howes and Athualla Rasheed Australia is about to launch a new visa that will for the first time create a Pacific quota in Australia’s permanent migration regime. 3,000 visas will be issued every year for the Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste. It’s a huge opportunity yet awareness of this new visa is low. The Pacific Engagement Visa or PEV...

In a historic T20I showdown, Papua New Guinea’s women secured their maiden victory against a Full Member team, triumphing over Zimbabwe in a thrilling Super Over clash held in Harare. The heroics of all-rounder Sibona Jimmy in the decisive Super Over propelled the Lewas to victory, as she smashed four crucial runs off the last two deliveries and then successfully...

The Pacific region, with its prevalence of low-lying islands, is especially vulnerable to climate change. Football is not immune, and is affected at all levels, but at the same time, it can also play a role in helping to draw attention to climate change and taking action against it. With that focus in mind, ten OFC Member Associations (MAs) will...

Drought conditions in parts of the Micronesia region have been upgraded from severe to extreme. The U.S Drought Monitor has upgraded drought conditions in the Federated States of Micronesia from severe to extreme, on the island state of Yap. Also facing extreme drought is the atoll of Wotje, in the Marshall Islands. Assessment teams and residents from Yap state are reporting...

Fiji and Papua New Guinea held a significant meeting on the sidelines of the 2024 Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Budget Foreign Ministers Meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu last week. PNG’s Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko met with Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of Fiji, Lenora Qereqeretabua, on 28 March , acknowledging the increased bilateral engagement, particularly after the recent visits by...

By Nic Maclellan As the French National Assembly and Senate debate changes to New Caledonia’s electoral laws, there are protests in the streets of Noumea from both supporters and opponents of independence. Backed by local conservative politicians, French President Emmanuel Macron wants to open up the electoral rolls for New Caledonia’s three Provincial Assemblies and Congress. To relax current restrictions...

The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is prioritising deeper engagement with its member countries through active and direct dialogue, according to Deputy Secretary General Esala Nayasi. During a visit to Palau last week, Nayasi participated in numerous meetings with government stakeholders at various levels. The goal, he explained, is to gain a clearer understanding of each member country’s specific needs, challenges,...

Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland has arrived in Tongatapu, on her first visit to Tonga, leading a Commonwealth team to discuss future initiatives and key challenges in the region In a bilateral meeting with the Tongan delegation, headed by the Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, they discussed issues that are visible both in Tonga as well as other small island...