PINA

The draw for the OFC U-19 Women’s Championship, to be held in Fiji from June 21 – July 8 this year, has been finalised in Port Vila, Vanuatu. The tournament will see ten nations from across the Pacific competing, with New Zealand defending the title they won in 2019, defeating New Caledonia in the final in Cook Islands. Hosts Fiji...

The Fiji Water Flying Fijians will play France in a warm-up match ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Fiji Rugby Union Administrator Simione Valenitabua who is currently in France, confirmed in a statement that after negotiations, the green light had been given by the French Federation of Rugby for the hosts to play the Flying Fijians on August 19. Furthermore,...

In the coming days, two American C-17 Globemaster transport planes will bring in 20 vehicles as part of Papua New Guinea preparations for the arrival of U.S President Joe Biden. All eyes will be on APEC Haus as the President meets with Pacific Island leaders, dubbed “the Island” APEC Haus will be the most watched building in the country if...

The U.S Department of the Interior has announced US$12 million in key investments for Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.. Virgin Islands to assist the territories in "climate change planning, mitigation, adaptation and resilience." The grant was provided through the Inflation Reduction Act, a component of President Joe Biden's Investing in America agenda. Of the US$12 million,...

Fiji's deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Manoa Kamikamica has told the European Union (EU) that it needs to revise its tax blacklisting approach and to show solidarity and understanding in these challenging times. Kamikamica said Fiji is confident in the EU’s role and our economic policies will be one of partnership, in areas such as taxes, investment and...

By Blake Johnson and Lucy Albiston Media freedom is an essential pillar of democracy. In Pacific island countries, this pillar is under threat from financial and capacity constraints. Democratic partners—which believe in the importance of a strong, independent media—must do more to support journalism and media in the Pacific to protect the integrity of independent thought and defend against information...

For French Polynesia's newly elected president Moetai Brotherson not independence from France but continued assistance to the victims of the flooding two weeks ago is the most urgent challenge for his incoming government. Brotherson told Tahiti Nui TV shortly after his election that apart from those affected in Tahiti, help would have to be given to people in the Tuamotus...

A public holiday is likely to be declared in Port Moresby on Monday next week when United States President Joe Biden arrives for his three-hour stop-over, says Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape. Marape has written to Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae requesting the public holiday “so that schools, government offices and business houses in the city will be closed”. Biden...

By Elenoa Dimaira The 5th Pacific Regional Energy and Transport Ministers meeting has recommended the establishment of a Pacific Energy Commissioner for a Just and Equitable Transition to a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific. Chairperson of the meeting and Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Ralph Regenvanu said the Pacific Energy Commissioner would negotiate and advocate energy issues on behalf of...

Pacific Island leaders criticised rich countries on Monday for not doing enough to control climate change despite being responsible for much of the problem, and for making money off of loans provided to vulnerable nations to mitigate the effects. Leaders and representatives from Pacific Island nations demanded at a UN climate change conference in Bangkok that the world make more...